Windows to the Soul
by Chronos Astral
Summary: A lone stranger comes to Naruto and helps him cope with life by serving as the teacher and brother he never had, then gives him something that one may consider a gift or a curse. [NaruHarem]
1. Niisan

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

_**"Windows to the Soul"  
**__by Chronos Astral_

_**Prologue:**_

_**'Nii-san'**_

* * *

He was tired. 

So tired.

His muscles ached.

His bones were weak.

His lungs, heavy.

His limbs leaked blood.

His face was dirty.

And his heart felt like spilling.

In a few moments, he would pick himself up, battered and bloody, from that dark grimy alley and walk away as if nothing happened.

He wouldn't cry, he told himself, for there was no use for it. Tears did not ease the pain and it only served to encourage his tormentors.

He dragged himself across the narrow passage, putting one hand on the cold wall to support himself as his legs wobbled uncomfortably. The ache would subside in a while, but the pain would always remain. He managed to find his way out into the darkening streets, thankful that there was no one there in fear of having to go through that experience again.

_Not like I haven't gotten used to it._ He thought grimly to himself.

The small boy looked up to see the graying sky, the clouds converging into a dark mass that blocked away the sun. It was going to rain. Good, he thought. The rain helped wash away the blood and few people bothered to go out in it. He had never caught a cold for as long as he could remember, which he thought was an added bonus.

He limped over to an empty park, already feeling droplets of water tickling his whiskered cheek. Spotting an empty swing set, the boy went over and sat himself down on one of the swings, mildly swinging back and forth in the pouring rain.

Such was a day in the life of Uzumaki Naruto, lonely orphan and village pariah.

There he sat, tattered and bruised, a blonde boy barely 6 years of age, garbed in ragged and ripped clothes over his small frame, hated and spat on by virtually everyone he met save a scant few. His head hung low, blond tresses sagged and wet from the rain. A sad frown formed on his small bloodied lips, his wounds healing and the crimson liquid trickling away and mixing into the mud below.

He always asked himself, 'Why are they doing this?'. 'Why?', indeed. Why the beatings, the cursing, the glares, the hatred, and the name-calling. He didn't know. They did, but they acted as if he himself knew as well.

He sighed, still mindlessly swinging as the rain got stronger. It was as if the heavens cried for him. Tomorrow was the anniversary of Kyuubi's defeat, something he noted since it also coincided with his birthday. He assumed everyone knew it was his birthday because he always got an 'extra special birthday beating' as if to mock his very existence. The Sandaime, as everyone called him formally, or 'Oyaji' as Naruto liked to call him, would always send him a little extra cash on that day and a heartfelt birthday greeting. It wasn't much, but it warmed his heart to know that at least someone cared.

He only wished someone else would care as well.

In his silent brooding, he failed to notice that his body was no longer being pelted by the rainfall.

"It's not healthy for a little kid like you to be sitting in the rain like this, y'know?" A gentle voice berated him from behind.

Naruto jumped away in surprise, landing on his knees in the moist mud and turning to face the source of the disturbance.

"What's wrong? Did you find any money or food in that mud 'cause I'm _starving_. Mind sharing any?" An incredulous look donned Naruto's face as he heard the stranger speak those words. Said person stood behind the swing he was sitting on, dark green umbrella in hand and a little worse for wear.

Looking closely, the man looked to be quite young with an unusual mess of light blue hair tangled into an unruly ponytail. He wore what looked to be the patched remains of a traveler's outfit, and a large bag slung over his shoulder. His face was dirty and a little malnourished though otherwise fairly attractive if one looked hard enough. His eyes were shut in an upper crescent fashion, which spelled out a strange mix of innocence and mischief.

The man caught him staring. "What? Is there something on my face?" He poked his cheek to emphasize his point.

Truth be told, Naruto has never had anyone approach him like this. Most people would either push him away, call him names, or hit him. Though he wouldn't let his guard down since this man was still a stranger.

"Wh-who are you?" Naruto croaked out, recovering from his disorientation.

The stranger put a hand to his hip and grinned. "Now, now. You didn't even answer my first question. And aren't you supposed to introduce yourself first before you ask for my name?"

This made Naruto blink in confusion. There was no veiled contempt in that voice. In fact, it was quite cheery and playful. Though he doubted that would last if he were to tell him his name. The 'infamous' pariah of Konoha wasn't something taken in good heart by many people.

The blond hesitated before softly muttering. "U-Uzumaki Naruto."

The man stepped closer, putting his hand to his ear. "Whuzzat? Can't hear you."

"Uzumaki Naruto." He repeated a little louder.

The stranger went into a thinking pose, knitting his brows exaggeratedly before grinning and laughing. "Your name means fish-paste cake! Hahahaha!"

"Hey! Don't make fun of me!" Naruto growled.

"Ah, _gomen gomen_. Just having a bit of fun." He waved apologetically.

"So what's your name then?"

"Me? Well let's see... I know! Toruna Kimazuu." He gave a small bow and smile.

Naruto had a feeling that name sounded familiar before snapping in realization. "Oi! That's just my name spelled backwards!" The man only laughed in response.

"Ahahaha! _Gomen gomen_! I couldn't help myself. So, do you have any food on ya?"

"You didn't tell me _your_ name yet."

"No food huh? Oh well. I'll just go find a squirrel or something..."

"Oi, _Nii-san_! Don't ignore me!"

"But then again the forest is a long walk from here... Mmmm..."

"Are you listening to me!" Naruto bounced and waved angrily, trying to get the stranger's attention.

"_Maa,_ I can't think in the rain like this. I'll find some shade first." The person nodded to himself and casually tossed the umbrella at Naruto, who nearly dropped it.

"Wha-!?"

"I'll catch you later." He turned and ran into the thick of the street.

"Wait, _Nii-san_! You're umbrel-!"

"Keep it!" He shouted back, still running, then disappearing into the dark.

Naruto was confused. That had to be the weirdest person he has ever met considering that most people he's met had a vendetta against him. Though despite his quirky behavior, the man was the first person, besides a few others, who has not thought the worst of Naruto the second he's met him. Plus, he risked his own health by giving him his umbrella, an act of kindness he rarely ever receives from anyone else. It was... nice. A shame, though, that he had never gotten his name.

Wiping off whatever mud that still stuck to him, Naruto trudged down the route to his run-down apartment. A small smile graced his face, having partially forgotten of the events that led to his somber mood in the first place. He glanced at the umbrella he held over himself. It was much too big and it had holes and sown patches in various corners, not to mention smelled quite odd, but to him, it would be one of his prized gifts.

_Arigatou, weird Nii-san..._

He made his way to his apartment door, fishing out his keys and entering the small room. Upon doing so, however, he felt a strong disturbance. An unshakable feeling that something was wrong. Then he saw it. A most horrible sight.

_TH-THAT GUY IS EATING MY RAMEN!!!!_

Naruto's eyes were transfixed on the person currently wolfing down on his sacred food at incredible speed. The pantry was left open, several days worth of ramen missing from inside of it, empty plastic bowls littering the floor. Needless to say, Naruto was pissed and had stomped over in a rage to 'calmly' ask the person what the hell did he think he was doing.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!?"

The person raised his head mid-bite, revealing himself to be the 'weird _Nii-san_' from a while ago, with broth and noodles clinging to his face, eyes still closed in a happy fashion.

"_Konnichiwa _(Good Afternoon)" He greeted with a toothy smile.

"What the hell!? It's night! You don't say '_Konnichiwa_' night!"

"Oh? Then _Ohayo _(Good Morning)"

"Wrong again! And answer my first question!"

"I'm eating."

"I can see that! But that's _MY_ ramen!"

"Really? I didn't know that."

"You can't go off eating other people's ramen! It's not right!"

"Well you didn't have anything else to eat."

"That's not the point! How did you even get in here!?"

"I went inside."

"That makes no sense! The door and windows are locked and secure!"

The man yawned. "Well I'm tired. Gonna go to sleep now." He laid himself on the ground, resting his head in his arms. "_Oyasuminasai_."

"Oi! Weirdo _Nii-san_! Don't ignore me-ttebayo! **OI!** Don't fall asleep!" Naruto violently shook him, having the man's head flail around though still retaining a peaceful expression.

"I can't believe it. He fell asleep..." Naruto gave a tired sigh, eventually giving up on trying to revive the stranger.

The small blond changed into dry clothing, ate his own dinner and prepared himself for his own sleep. Rolling out his futon, he made a side-glance at the slumbering man. Naruto shook his head and gave a tired sigh. The man was an oddball, he knew that. At first he thought him to be a kind person, so much as giving him his umbrella. Now he's freeloading off of him?

Right now, he was too tired to bother. The blond stole another glance at the man, noticing that he was also quite drenched. Grabbing some spare sheets, Naruto draped them on the man hoping that he wouldn't catch a cold in the morning. Turning back to his own futon, he couldn't help but let another smile twitch at his lips before tucking himself in.

"_Oyasuminasai._" He didn't know what compelled him to say that, nor did he care, and so, let himself be taken into the land of dreams.

* * *

First Naruto fic. Gonna make it a harem. Naruto will be stronger, I will assure you that. How strong is still in debate in my head. 

Read and Review!


	2. Longed For

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

**_"Windows to the Soul_****_"_****_  
_**_by Chronos Astral_

**_Chapter 1:_**

**_'Longed For'_**

* * *

Naruto wasn't a morning person. Having no parent or guardian to forcibly wake you up when you didn't want to was one of the perks of being alone all his life. So, to say that he was a little miffed from being nudged relentlessly by a persistent finger in the hopes that he would awaken from his slumber would quite fit the situation right now. 

"Two more hours..." He mumbled to the offending poker.

"Now, now. We wouldn't want you to miss out on school." The gentle voice prodded accompanied by another poke to the boy's side.

"... I don't go to school..."

"You don't? Why not?"

"... Meh..."

"Alright then. So, what will I do with this ramen I made you? It would be such a waste..."

A click went off in Naruto's little boy brain. Ramen... Ramen!

With the speed rivaling most shinobi, Naruto sprung out from his futon, quickly registering the smell of piping hot ramen and began devouring it at an extreme pace.

Eight bowls later, the blond patted his stomach contentedly. "Hah, that was good."

"Glad you like it then."

"Thanks for the-" Naruto stopped cold upon recognizing the person before him. The blue hair, tattered clothes, and warm smile still fresh from his memories of the day before.

"AH! IT'S THE WEIRDO _NII-SAN_!!" The boy pointed exaggeratedly.

"_Konbanwa_. (Good Evening)"

"Wrong!! It's morning! Say '_Ohayo Gozaimasu_' (Good Morning)!!"

"You have a very small room." The man pointed out, inspecting the shelves with great interest.

"You're ignoring me again!"

"Do I know you?"

"We met yesterday!"

"Did we? I would have remembered."

"Are you stupid or something!?" A vein popped.

"Now, now. That's no way to treat someone you've just met. Not to mention if their older than you are."

"What the hell!? I met you yesterday! You even gave me your umbrella! Besides, you're in _my_ house!" It was very clear that Naruto was slowly, but surely, losing whatever ounce of patience he had left.

"Oh yeah? Then what's my name?"

"I don't know! You didn't tell me!"

"You know, it's really not nice to lie." The man wagged his fingers as if to lecture him.

"I'M NOT LYING DAMNIT!"

"Such foul language for a child. I would expect better from someone who had the gall to steal my umbrella."

"I DID NOT STEAL YOUR UMBRELLA!!!"

"What did I say I about lying?"

"I SAID I'M NOT LYING!!!"

A loud banging was heard from the door.

"Shut the hell up! You're noisy!" Came an angry shout from outside the building.

The blue-haired stranger shook his head in an air of disappointment. "Honestly. People are quite rude these days."

* * *

Now normally, Naruto was a tolerant person, not always by choice, considering the amount of self-control he needed in order to prevent breaking down or snapping from the daily glares and abuse. Miraculously, all that patience was being lost at an alarming pace only within a span of a few hours, courtesy of a certain stranger. How so? Here is how: 

Having little to do in his own time, the blond would always wander the village, trying to find something, anything, to do for fun. It didn't help when kids ignored or picked on him because of their parents. It didn't help that he was 'forbidden' to go to any public place while it was occupied. And it certainly didn't help him that, now, the strange 'weirdo _nii-san_', as he liked to call him, was following him everywhere he went.

"Oi, weirdo _nii-san_..." Naruto called to him during his walk, the quirky man falling in step behind him.

The silence urged him to continue. "Why are you following me?"

Another silence ensued briefly before the man replied.

"I'm sorry? Were you talking to me?"

**_Snap!_**

Naruto turned heel and gave a loud cry. "OF COURSE I'M TALKIN' TO YOU-_TTEBAYO_!"

The boy didn't know it, but from the pent-up anger had made him leaking with killing intent. Many bystanders cringed visibly and increased their pace.

"YOU'VE BEEN FOLLOWING ME SINCE THIS MORNING!! WHAT DO YOU WANT!?"

The man scratched his chin in thought, as if having trouble coming up with an answer. This served to further grate the blond boy's nerves. "Well, seeing as I have nothing to do, I thought it would be fun following you around, Narupo."

"It's 'Naruto'!" He spat back with less force considering he was near losing his voice from all the shouting.

"Of course it is."

Silence...

"You're making fun of me, aren't you?"

"What? _Me_? 'Course not. I wouldn't do that to you." The man replied sweetly. _Too_ sweetly. So sickeningly innocent that it was suspicious. The smile on his face didn't help any.

"You know, you still haven't told me your na-"

"I'm really hungry right now. Got any money?"

"What the hell!? You got some nerve freeloading off me! And stop avoiding the subjec-!"

"No money? Darn. I'm gonna have to make some somehow." He turned away from Naruto, his hand nestling his chin in a thinking pose, ignoring the boy's loud protests from behind him.

"Stop ignoring me!" Naruto launched his foot into the calf of the man's leg. He still stood absently, seemingly unaware of Naruto's assault.

"Well I'll be going now!" Gathering himself, the blue-haired stranger waved goodbye to Naruto then sprinted away.

"See ya, Naruko!"

"IT'S 'NARUTO', DATTEBAYO!!" He yelled before the man turned a corner and vanished from his sight.

* * *

"Oi, _Jiji_! Seven bowls of miso ramen over here!" 

"Comin' right up, birthday boy!"

Naruto smiled at that. Ichiraku Teuchi would always whip him up a special birthday ramen, just for him. Being the first few to acknowledge him as a person has given him a special place in Naruto's heart, close to that of a surrogate father with Teuchi's daughter being his '_onee-chan_'. A family he's always dreamed of having.

Several bowls of piping hot ramen were placed in front of him, filled to the brim with its tantalizing broth and noodles. The smell was enough for his mouth to water.

"_Itadakimasu!_" And without sparing a second, he dug his face in, consuming the dish with great fervor. After his sixth bowl, another disturbance racked his body. There was something... missing...

"Oi, _Jiji_! Where's my seventh bowl!?" True enough, only six empty bowls were stacked on the stand's wooden table, his seventh order missing.

Teuchi scratched his scalp in confusion. He could have sworn he put down seven bowls. What could have-?

Audible slurping came from the kitchen area of the stand and Teuchi visibly twitched.

"One moment." The proprietor of the stand excused himself and retreated into the kitchen. Soon after, an one-sided argument broke out with Teuchi berating someone angrily, followed by the loud ringing of a pan connecting with something hard. Once it died down, a disheveled man wearing the Ichiraku apron came from the kitchen with a smile on his face, a seemingly fresh bowl of miso ramen in hand, and a noticeable lump on the top of his head.

"Enjoy your meal sir." The man placed the meal in front of Naruto, and bowed.

"_YOU_ _AGAIN!?"_ Naruto shouted incredulously, his forefinger aimed right at the stranger's face.

In response, he put one hand up in greeting. "Hi."

"What are you doing here!?"

"I work here now."

"Why!?"

"I need money."

"Were you just eating my ramen!?"

"I was hungry." He grinned as though he made no transgression.

"Why I outta-!"

"Take it easy, Naruyo-"

"'Naruto'! My name is NA-RU-TO!"

"Of course it is. Now just calm down, I only took a small bite. I'll even pay for it if you want." The man smiled warmly, sincere with his offer and apology.

"... Alright, fine..." And with that, Naruto reached for his chopsticks and chowed down once more. Somehow, it left a tingly and warm feeling in his gut.

Naruto's mouth immediately went dry. His throat was raspy and felt like it burned fiercer than any Katon jutsu. "Gah! What's in this ramen!?" He managed to wheeze out.

"Oh! Right! I forgot to tell you that I put chili in it to give it that extra kick!" The blue-haired man laughed heartily to himself. Unfortunately, Naruto took this as an insult.

"You... BASTARD WEIRDO _NII-SAN_!! NOBODY MESSES WITH ME _OR_ MY RAMEN!!" Naruto jumped from his stool with the ferocity of a cheetah and proceeded to strangle the man fiercely, mounting himself on the taller boy's shoulders to have a better reach of his neck. The man continued laughing, thinking it to be a game.

Being a loving father of one healthy daughter, Ichiraku Teuchi couldn't help but smile at the scene happening right in his shop. The man he had only recently hired to assist him had struck him as the epitome of weird since his very first conversation with him. He practically pleaded with him to hire him, almost going as far as crying in the way most soap opera characters did. Teuchi relented, and he was quite happy that he did.

The ramen chef knew of Naruto's burden and he was among the scant few that considered him a hero for it. He was also quite aware of his treatment in the villagers' hands, enduring painful torment for days on end. For this, he was more than happy to serve the blond in his modest establishment, customer decline be damned. And it wasn't out of pity or obligation to pay him back for it. It was out of respect for his perseverance and loving nature.

To see that his new assistant was 'getting along' with said orphan put a warm sense of pride and respect in his aging heart. He knew that the boy needed a friend and guardian to guide him and lift his spirits. Now this man, a stranger and enigma, could possibly be the one to fill that role.

He chuckled briefly when he found Naruto trying to tug the older man's ridiculously long ponytail with great force. The man responded with more mirthful laughter.

Teuchi had to remind himself to get the man's name once he finished 'playing'.

* * *

Several downed cups of water later, Naruto found himself ambling the road with no clear destination, ignoring some of the glares sent his way. He was too tired to deal with them, and you could imagine why, considering that the source of his agitation was still relentlessly tailing him. 

"Aren't you working for Ichiraku-_Jiji_ now?" Naruto asked, irritation evident in his tone.

"I took the day off." Came the nonchalant reply.

"This is your first day working for him and you're already taking a day off?"

"Yup."

"Don't you think that's... Oh I dunno... 'Stupid'?"

"Nah. He'll only subtract it from my earnings."

"... You won't be earning anything if you don't work."

"But work is boring."

"... What kind of an adult are you?"

His question was left hanging as they continued their walk in relative silence, coming to a stop at one of the larger roads in Konoha. The area was littered with people setting up stands, confectionaries, and what-have-you along the streets, the lively chattering and activity giving off a buzz of life.

The man who had yet to tell his name looked questioningly at the spectacle before turning to ask his smaller counterpart. "What's the occasion?"

Naruto gave out a wistful sigh, something usually unbecoming of the boy in public. "It's October 10, the anniversary celebration of the Kyuubi no Kitsune's defeat."

"Kyuubi no Kitsune, eh? I'm pretty sure I've heard that name somewhere."

"The villagers always make a big fuss about it. Something about the Yondaime Hokage managing to kill a really strong demon that attacked the village. He died, though, after he killed it."

"Died, you say?" The stranger gave a thoughtful expression.

"Yeah. He was a great hero, and I wanna be like him when I grow up-_ttebayo_!" There was a gleam in the youth's eye, one of determination and will. He didn't know why he was telling the stranger his dream, but it felt right. "I'm gonna have these people respect me for who I am! I'll be Hokage, just like _Oyaji_ and the Yondaime, _ Dattebayo_!"

The stranger beamed at the boy's spirit and dream and playfully ruffled his spiky sun-kissed tresses in approval, despite the blond's protests. "You're a good kid." This startled the boy somewhat, his eyes widening at being complimented for a dream few ever recognized. A pleasant sensation wormed its way into his stomach which made his lips twitch upwards involuntarily. The gesture was something he had never received from anyone. The lonely boy in him that starved for attention was elated beyond words and he couldn't help but smile back.

Their brotherly moment was cut short, however, by the gruff tone of a villager. "Hey you!"

The pony-tailed stranger turned his attention to the newcomer, who he noted was accompanied by an angry-looking entourage. "Can I help you?"

The villager snorted. "By the looks of it, you're new around here, seeing as your in the company of _that__thing_." His eyes leveled at Naruto's direction.

The man raised an eyebrow. "'_That thing_'? I didn't know that they addressed kids like that here."

"Listen. Take my advice and stay away from it. The demon will kill you the second you turn your back." The verbal slap hit home when Naruto cringed, visibly hurt.

"Demon? I don't see a demon here. Just a very loud kid with a short temper."

The blond twitched. "Hey! What's that supposed to mean!?"

"Just steer clear of him. We're going to give the demon brat what he deserves." As he finished, he and his entourage brandished painful looking weapons, ranging from planks, sticks, and various metal objects.

"Woah. Didn't know you were this popular, kid." He received no response as the crowd stepped closer.

"Hold on a moment!" The blue-haired man ceased their advance by taking up what looked to be a fighting stance, one leg forward, another behind, palms open and stretched in the same manner as his legs.

The question of whether or not this man was trained in the arts of combat briefly crossed the minds of those present. The aggressors' resolve faltered a moment before barking out. "W-What do you think you're doing, defending the brat!? You can't hurt us, the ANBU will have your head!"

The man only smirked, extending his front palm forward even more. All were tense and the ANBU were surveying the scene, ready to intervene if necessary. Then-

"Look! The Kyuubi's back!" He pointed behind the crowd, his face contorted in panic and terror. All, including the ANBU, jumped and swerved to look at where his finger was trained to find...

Nothing.

"There's no Kyuubi-" They turned to face the man and brat only to find nothing as well.

All blinked abashedly. "...here?"

* * *

The sound of laughter rang in the air as the form of a man carrying a child on his shoulders sped across the street in great haste. Mirth and amusement evident in their snickering faces while racing towards their safety. 

"That was a good one _Nii-san_!" Naruto managed to let out between laughs.

"You think so?"

"Of course! Thanks for the help!"

"Anytime little guy. Anytime."

And so the outsider and village pariah continued their run, smiling and laughing all the way. To anyone who didn't know them, they were a couple of miscreants. To anyone who looked carefully enough without prejudice-laced eyes, they were a loving duo of brothers.

With that, the Sandaime Hokage was delighted, beaming brightly as he gazed into the crystal ball.

* * *

The girls that will be in the harem have not yet been decided, but there will be a harem, I can assure you. I was also entertaining the thoughts of adding FemKyuubi, FemHaku, an OC or two, or maybe some of the girls from the filler arc to the list. 

**I will bash no one. **I just don't like it. The story will not be ruined because of it.

Review!


	3. Sensei

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

**_"Windows to the Soul_****_"_****_  
_**_by Chronos Astral_

**_Chapter 2:_**

**_'Sensei'_**

* * *

"_Itadakimasu._" And with that said, the energetic blond began scarfing down on his beloved treat.

Uzumaki Naruto had never been happier since the few weeks his '_nii-san_' had walked into his life. He had received the few things he had yearned for since the day he could process coherent thought. To be recognized. To be accepted. And to have a family. Being the spite of Konohagakure no Sato made these things hard to accomplish, but it happened, and once or twice, it moved him to tears.

"_Nii-san_! Four more bowls, please!" Naruto called out his order to the blue-haired man across the counter.

"Right away!" The young man grinned in affirmative before retreating into the kitchen area of the stand.

The outsider, whom Naruto simply addressed as '_Nii-san_' for the lack of any other name to call him, was now an official part-time worker in the Ichiraku Ramen stand. With his cheerful disposition and friendly though quirky attitude had managed to attract a few more frequent customers to the small establishment, much to the approval of Ichiraku Teuchi, owner and proprietor of said stand. Even his daughter, Ayame, who would visit the stand on occasion, was thoroughly entertained by the man's curious and somewhat ignorant behavior. Teuchi's only few complaints with the man was that he had a tendency to get lazy and ask for numerous days off. That, and he had yet to reveal his name to him despite working for him for quite a while.

In the past weeks, the man had garnered a reputation for himself for his strange mannerisms when interacting with other villagers, earning vaguely renowned titles such as 'The Weirdo', 'Stranger', 'Oddball', and many others that illustrated his demeanor. These claims were founded in his daily activities that consisted of, but were not limited to hanging upside-down from a tree branch with a vacant expression, appearing from seemingly nowhere, talking to himself, quirky humor, sudden bouts of hunger, and even memory lapses. While Konoha had its share of strange people, like a certain green-clad jounin with a disturbing bowl cut and obsession of youth, this man was the cream of the crop.

Despite his small street fame, he was better known as the 'Demon's Consort' for his apparent liking of one Uzumaki Naruto. A large majority of the village who has seen the man in the company of the 'demon brat' would scoff in disgust at the notion. Often some would try to convince him that the child was dangerous though it proved difficult because of the man's strong bond with Naruto and the law that forbade them to reveal why he was shunned. At best, the man was ignored by most citizens while at worst, he was regarded with the same animosity as the blond boy he took willingly into his company.

Currently, he had barely enough money to get by, and so, had taken residence alongside Naruto in his apartment, using his earnings to help pay rent and supply them with food _other_ than ramen (much to Naruto's displeasure). Very few knew of this arrangement which included the Sandaime and Teuchi. For days on end, Naruto would occasionally pester the man for his name and for him to open his eyes since he hasn't seen him so much as lift an eyelid. In the end, they stuck with each other like brothers.

"_Ne, ne, Nii-san_. Do you think I can study at the ninja academy already?" The boy asked mid-slurp on his 5th bowl. While quite young, the boy was offered a chance to attend the academy at his age by the Sandaime and, given his dream, he would have jumped at the chance right away. At least that would be the case if his 'Nii-san' allowed it. Naruto had taken to the man like a surrogate older brother, often asking for advice or approval for any decision on his part. The man had taught him many lessons on life and how to live it, as if talking through experience which made the man as invaluable to him as the lessons he taught. Slowly, the boy's personality was shifting from the loud hyperactive boy to a quieter and kinder one.

"Ninja academy? As in school? No way. School's boring and I'd be a horrible _Nii-san_ if I were to subject you through that mental torture." The man grinned playfully.

"But I can't become Hokage if I don't study to be a ninja." Naruto whined.

"Don't worry about that. I'll teach you."

The blond's eyes widened in surprise and excitement. "You will!? You mean you're a ninja!?"

"Well, not exactly. I happen to know a lot about them and their skills. I even have a few reference materials from my travels. And I'm sure the Hokage wouldn't mind if we _ borrowed_ a few scrolls."

Naruto nearly let out a snicker once his '_nii-san_' mentioned the word 'borrow'. The man's definition of the word was not lost on Naruto for to him, it meant secretly taking said object then returning it after they have no more use for it.

"Can we start now _Nii-san_?"

"Sure," He turned to address his boss. "Techi-san! I'll be taking another day off now!"

"It'll be coming off your pay and my name is _'Teuchi'_!" The voice of the aging Ichiraku shouted back.

The duo exited from the stand and ambled their way to the nearest training area. Heated glares were sent their way, but they've been trained to ignore them and still put up a warming smile.

"So Naruto, are you aware of what a shinobi is or what he does?" The man asked, sitting on a log in the vacant training area. Apparently, he had killed the habit of getting the blond's name wrong after living with him for a while.

Being reminded of the lessons given to him, Naruto quoted a summary. "A shinobi is a master of stealth, espionage, and killing. He is trained to suppress all emotion and follow orders efficiently and swiftly. They are the living weapons and servants of the village they serve and their master, the Kage. A most efficient killing machine."

The man nodded in approval. "Very good. But what do _you_ think a shinobi is."

At this, the blond smiled fondly. "A shinobi is a powerful warrior that lives to serve and protect the people they find precious to them. Despite their profession, they are also people, and therefore need to live with emotions so as to retain their humanity and heart. They also need comrades, friends that they can depend and trust, to draw strength upon even in the most crucial of moments. They fight for the good of those they have sworn to protect."

His quirky brother gave him a small applause. "Very good, Naruto. With that, I am ready to teach you the ways of the ninja."

And so, the older boy taught him the basics. From the three jutsu classes, chakra, weaponry, ninja ranks, the art of stealth, nindo, and a little history every now and again. With the morals of patience and the yearning for knowledge drilled into him, Naruto soaked it all up like a sponge, always listening intently to whatever words his '_nii-san_' lectured to him, excited by many aspects of the ninja. The boy doubted that he would be taught with the same fervor and dedication by the academy teachers, considering his reputation, and was all the more gladdened.

Weeks turned to months, with physical training progressing far better than before. Tree-climbing and water-walking had nearly become as natural to Naruto as breathing, and he was slowly progressing in mastering most academy-level jutsu along with some of his own creation. At times, Naruto would be given scrolls to study. Some were attained from the man's travels. Others were _borrowed_ from the chuunin and jounin archives. Even the forbidden scroll itself wasn't spared from their visage which had inclined Naruto's interest for the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu.

But in the whole time he was trained, he noticed something about his _'nii-san_'. Something was bothering him. His smile looked forced and at times his words were strained. With each time Naruto failed to get his jutsu right, he would sigh sadly, but not out of disappointment. He decided to inquire about it when the time was right.

* * *

It was a fine day in Konoha, a certain old man thought to himself. No meetings to attend. No missions to give out. And best of all, no damnable paperwork! All in all, a wondrous day for the Sandaime Hokage. From all the sitting he's done, he had decided to stretch his old legs with a long relaxing stroll in the village. It was a refreshing change too, since most of his paperwork were reports of strange disappearances of scrolls and books from the archives. There were also complaints from the academy and various stores about shurikens, kunais, and other weapons that have suffered the same fate. Even the forbidden scroll was stolen. And before he could conduct a proper investigation, the scroll was right back in its place.

Strange forces were at work here, but for now, he would put it to rest. His priority now would be to visit his favorite _gaki_ and his new '_nii-san_'. Being nearly swamped with work for the better part of these few months have made him much to busy to check up on the boy's progress, through from what he's seen of the blue-haired outsider, he didn't worry too much.

Putting his thoughts aside, the elderly Sarutobi spotted said blond walking with his hands on a nearby stream. Intrigued, the Hokage walked up closer. "Hello there Naruto."

The boy twisted his inverted body to view the older man. "_Ohayo_, Oyaji."

Sandaime raised a brow at this. The volume in the boy's greeting wasn't nearly as loud as it used to be, and while he was still called an old man, it was said in a gentler and fond tone, most probably from the influence of his new guardian.

"What's that your doing?" The old man pointed at the boy's hands which held him up.

"I'm doing handstands on the water. _Nii-san_ says that it helps build strength, balance, and chakra control at the same time." Naruto answered while still walking with his hands.

The Hokage had to admit, he was impressed in the stranger's teaching. Fairly difficult, but quite efficient. He would have to make a note to apply something like this in the academy.

"So Naruto," He took a brief glance around. "Where is your _nii-san_?"

The boy did a few impressive cartwheels on the water's surface before replying. "He went out to get some food, I think. He should be back soon." As he finished, a young man with blue hair and long ponytail approached in a mad rush.

"Naruto!" He cried frantically. "Ichiraku is having a special today! Half-price on all ramen from now until lunch!"

"What!?" The boy stood upright at once. "Then we have to hurry!" And with that, the boy sped off like a bullet to his beloved stand. Despite the small few changes in his demeanor, his love for ramen still holds true to him.

The man turned to regard the Sandaime briefly before smiling. "_Konbanwa_ Sandaime-san. Was I interrupting something?"

_Konbanwa? But it's morn-_ A spark of realization hit the Hokage. Unconsciously, he looked up to the glaring sun. Indeed, it was still morning. Which meant...

"No disrespect, Sandaime-san, I also wouldn't want to miss eating discount ramen. Please excuse me." With a bow, the man turned tail and followed Naruto with the same speed.

"Wait-!" But he was already out of earshot.

* * *

"Ebisu," The Hokage addressed the jounin. A hint of urgency in his tone.

The man garbed in sunglasses and bandana stood in attention. "Hai, Hokage-sama?"

"Send a message to Jiraiya of the Sannin. I want him in my office as soon as possible."

"Hai! Hokage-sama!" And the man immediately left to search for the Frog Hermit, starting with the bath houses.

The Hokage slumped tiredly with a sigh. It would make sense that it were _him_, considering the brief disappearances of a large number of scrolls. If this man is whom he thought he was, then that would spell trouble for the village, not to mention his perverted student or Naruto for that matter.

* * *

What do you think? I have a small backstory for the guy which will be revealed in time. Naruto will also get a bloodline!

As for his harem, it's still a little undecided, though I will have most of the girls his age in the list.

Not much of a story in this one. A little short too. Time-skip will ensue soon.

Review!!


	4. Impressions

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

**_"Windows to the Soul_****_"_****_  
_**_by Chronos Astral_

**_Chapter 3:_**

**_'Impressions'_**

* * *

Jiraiya was angry. No, far from it. He was _very_ angry. Not because he was interrupted from his 'research'. Not because he was beaten senseless by the females who discovered him 'researching' their naked bodies. None of those. 

_'He'_ was here. And his seemingly beautiful day turned a 180 on him.

Trying his best to suppress a deep scowl, he hurriedly marched into the designated training area he was told to go, his former teacher, the Sandaime Hokage, in tow.

"Where is the bastard!?" The Sannin asked in thinly veiled contempt, not spotting his target anywhere.

"You must calm down, Jiraiya. We will find him." The Sandaime consoled.

"How can I calm down!? He's training the Uzumaki kid! Who knows what he'll do!?" Jiraiya snapped back, holding on to what little patience he had left.

It was then that he spotted him in the corner of his eye. The blue-haired, pony-tailed man was lounging peacefully with his back leaning against a tree, smiling as he soaked in the tranquility of the flora before him. This seemed to have pissed Jiraiya off some as he approached in a faster pace and without warning, slammed the man's neck against the rough bark of the tree, pressing his palm into the man's throat without actually choking him.

"You..." Jiraiya growled, venom dripping from the tone of his voice.

The man was unfazed and still smiling as he turned his head to regard the older man through his sealed eyes.

"_Hisashiburi ne_, Jirai-san?"

Jiraiya frowned. It was him, alright.

* * *

_Let's see... What'll I do today?_

Naruto trudged absently along, gathering his thoughts as to what activities he may indulge in today. In the very few times he was free from training he would usually just tag along with his surrogate brother, but today was one of the rare days he was told to go by himself. It wasn't that he was displeased by being left out of whatever his 'nii-san' was doing, it was just that not many things besides his 'nii-san' entertained him to a certain degree.

_I guess I'll go to the playground or something..._

As he walked, the usual glares came his way, though instead of ignoring them, he returned them with a serene smile, one that wasn't forced or strained. His older brother had taught him to do so whenever they gazed upon him with hatred and told him that whatever they hated him for, he assured him that it wasn't his fault. They were all just insecure with something, he said, and if Naruto were to smile, they might stop to think about it. It worked too, since some of the villagers only ignored him now and would even stop hawking him when he beamed at them. It had a strange though positive effect, he noticed, and was glad for it all the same.

Upon reaching his destination, the sound of demeaning laughter caught up to his ears and, for once, it wasn't directed at him. With closer inspection he distinguished what appeared to be a group of boys his age surrounding the crying figure of a small pink-haired girl. He caught ear of their taunts of 'big forehead' and 'pinkie' which irked him greatly.

Calmly thinking over the situation, he strode over with confidence, equipped with only a smile. Maneuvering through the crowd of boys, he approached the weeping youth, ignoring the protests of the tormentors.

"Hey, wait. Isn't that the loser kid that the grown-ups hate?" One of the smaller ones pointed out.

"Yeah, that's right! It is the loser!" And thus they began hounding the blond, condoning their previous target for a much more entertaining one to toy with.

Naruto kept his smile despite the painful insults and small rocks hurled at him. He knelt before the small girl who only stared back at him with awe.

"Are you okay?" He asked sincerely as a stray pebble grazed his face.

"W-w-why a-are you helping me? sniff Y-you're getting hurt b-because of me..." She sniffled, guilt wracking with each word pelted at him.

"Shhh... It's okay..." He reassured her. In a few moments, the commotion slowly died down.

"Feh! This is boring. Let's go." After casting a few more rocks and choice insults, the group of miscreants left to find something else to do.

Naruto dusted himself of the dirt and picked bits of stone from his hair. "Glad that's over..."

"I-I'm sorry..."

"Wha?"

"I'm sorry. I'm -sniff- so sorry. You got hurt a-and all I did was cry and-"

"Shhh..." Naruto cut her off with a pat. "I said it was okay. I did it because I wanted to. It's not your fault."

After a few hiccups and tears, she calmed down to a few hitches in her breathing. Naruto handed her a handkerchief which she gratefully accepted. It was patterned with swirls that resembled that of the fishcake that decorated ramen, a testament to his name sake and love of his favorite treat.

"Now, do you wanna tell me why they were picking on you?" Naruto asked, gently helping her up from her crouched position.

The girl winced at the question. "Th-they were making fun of my hair and f-forehead. It's because my hair's pink a-and my forehead's big."

"Hey now," He put a hand on her small shoulder, and spoke in a slightly disbelieving tone. "Why would they do that? I think they're stupid if they thought your hair looks dumb. I think it makes you look cute."

"And besides, your forehead doesn't look that big. They're just jealous 'cuz you look smarter than they are." He gave a small grin at her wide-eyed reaction.

The girl softly mouthed a reply. "_A-arigato_..." She looked up at him with a questioning gaze. "But... didn't that hurt at all?"

Naruto sheepishly grinned and scratched the back of his head. "Not really. I've trained myself a lot so it doesn't hurt that much. Besides, I can't let something so little get the better of me if I'm going to be Hokage."

"You're want to be Hokage?"

"Yup," He held his head high with a mix of pride and determination. "I'm going to train hard to become a ninja. Then I'll go to the academy to get better. Then I'll train even more, and go on missions, and stuff. Then when I'm strong enough, people will pick me to be Hokage and everyone will recognize.."

The blond then gave a playful smile. "Then when I become Hokage, my first rule in the village will be that all bullies that pick on others will be made to dance on the Hokage monument for the village to see, wearing a clown suit, including the red nose and rainbow wig!"

The girl failed to suppress a giggle as he puffed his chest out. She knew he said that to cheer her up and it worked too. "Do you think I could be as strong as you?"

"Of course you can. My _nii-san_ told me that through hard work and deter... determin... determ... uh... not giving up will get you what you want. That's why I train really hard almost everyday, even if it hurts so much, 'cuz I'll be good enough to reach my dream and protect the people that I care about, like _Nii-san_, and Ichiraku-jiji, Ayame-chan, _Oyaji_, and you... er... I didn't get your name yet..."

She let out another light giggle at his semi-impressive speech cut short before introducing herself. "Sakura. Haruno Sakura."

"'Sakura'? That's a pretty name. It suits your hair." To prove his point, he twirled a few strands of her fuchsia locks, eliciting a small blush from the girl.

"So um... What's _your_ name?"

"Wha? Oh right! It's Uzumaki Naruto, future Konoha-nin and hopefully someday, Hokage." He flashed a charming grin. If you were to ask him the same question before, he would have shouted his answer out for everyone to hear and would flat-out say that he _will_ be Hokage. Believe it! Confidence is one thing, but his surrogate brother had to teach him the values of humility and consideration for other people's ability to hear.

"Naruto..." Sakura whispered softly to herself as if testing how his name rolled off her tongue.

"You can do it."

"What?" She asked, not really getting what he was saying.

"You can be strong. I know it." He elaborated.

"I'm not strong... I only cry a lot..." She put on a downcast expression.

"'People become stronger when they desire to be.' That's what my _nii-san_ tells me. And he also says that this desire comes from other people," His eyes once again flashed in a mark of determination "I train because I want people to acknowledge me, and I train because I want to protect the people who do. That's how I find strength. From my nii-san, and my friends."

"Finding strength..." She told herself, soaking in the strange yet comforting concept.

"Sakura!" A feminine voice cut through her thoughts. A blonde girl of her age waved cheerily as she hastily approached the girl.

"Ino!" She waved back with the same mirth at her best friend, Yamanaka Ino.

"What are you doin' out here Sakura?" Ino asked curiously, seeing nothing particularly entertaining to do by herself.

"I was just talking to..." When Sakura looked around, her new Hokage-aspiring friend had disappeared.

"Talking to who?" The blonde girl peered over her friend's shoulder, finding no one there. "Wait, were you crying again?" She noted the slight redness in the pink-haired girl's eye.

"Well... yeah..." She answered sheepishly.

Ino sighed tiredly. "I've told you already that if they bully you, you can come to me, right? I'll fix them good..." She cracked her knuckles menacingly to prove her point.

Sakura only smiled and fondly shook her head. "No. I'll stop being a crybaby from now on. And I'll get stronger so that I won't need you to always look out for me."

At this, Ino was both surprised and impressed. She had said those words with much conviction that she found it hard to believe it was the same little girl she had found a friend in. Looking at her more closely, her eyes did not betray her words and her face was steeled with a newfound certitude she had never seen in the girl.

After a few moments of questioning herself whether this girl before her was really Sakura, she asked the question that had just begun bugging her. "Wow, Sakura. Where did this come from?"

Sakura looked to the object clutched in her hand, the wrinkled tear-stained handkerchief crumpled in it. Her smile widened.

"From a new friend of mine."

The side of Naruto's lips twitched upwards as a few tears fell from his deep cerulean eyes. Climbing down silently from the tree he had hid himself in, he wiped the salty waters with his arms. He'd need to get a new handkerchief later.

* * *

"You look like you haven't aged a bit and you stopped dyeing your hair." Jiraiya observed monotonously. 

"Funny how that works eh?" The man replied, still held in place by the Toad-Hermit's fierce hold.

"What are you doing here?"

"Just resting, Jirai-san. And it would be a much more pleasurable endeavor if you would be so kind enough as to remove your hand from my windpipe. I find it a little uncomfortable." The man told him in a sweet and humble tone that nearly drove the white-haired Sannin off the edge.

"Don't give me that shit! Now tell me what you're doing here!" He commanded with more force while applying more pressure to the man's neck.

"Jiraiya. You need to calm down, otherwise you may end up killing him." Sarutobi said from the side, eyeing the two cautiously.

"I'm here to pay a visit to Konoha. A break from my long travel isn't so much to ask for, is it?"

"_Bullshit_! How do you plan on taking responsibility, huh!? Is that why you're here!?" Jiraiya shouted with greater force and rage evident on his seething face.

"I don't know what you're talking about." The blue-haired man continued to smile despite the older man's exertions.

A part of Jiraiya's self-control snapped and he slugged the man hard across his cheek. His lips leaked blood, but he kept his smile. "Like _FUCK_ 'you don't know what I'm talking about'!! It's because of _you_ that Minato..." He trailed off, anger still boiling inside of him.

"Jiraiya-" The aged Hokage warned again, but was cut off.

"_SHUT UP_!" The Sannin cried fiercely before sneering at the young man's facet. After many deep ragged breaths, he let go of his neck and gave him a glare that radiated with killing intent that promised pain in most unbearable amounts. "Do anything to the kid..." He left his words hanging, assuming that he knew what he would do.

He grinned in a way Jiraiya saw as too sickeningly sweet. "I'll take care of him. Don't you trust your student?"

"You're not my student... Not anymore..." The older man turned and walked away, hiding his eyes within the shadows of his bangs, a grim scowl plastering itself on his wrinkled face.

* * *

Done. 

For those of you who don't like Sakura, tough luck. I'm not biased when it comes to these things. Though this will improve her attitude significantly in the future so that's a plus at the least.

More girls to come in the future. Most of the girls Naruto's age will definitely be included (Ayame, Hanabi, Hana, Kin, and Tayuya left for debate) (Another note: If I do include Hanabi, I think I'd have to adjust her age a bit). Anyone older have little probability of being included unless given good reason to. No harems for 'yet-to-be-named'. It feels a little off for an OC to have a harem.

Debating on whether to have Sasuke still be angsty and jealous of Naruto's future progress or have Naruto become his friend though still be a little envious.

Also debating on whether or not Naruto will be placed in same Team Seven genin team or become a sort of 'special genin' that accompanies other teams. (Something put to my mind by reviewer, **Avatarofrage**)

Another thing I'd like to point out to a frequent reviewer, **Amorphusshadow**: When he asked if 'brother' used to be a sannin, it would have already been a 'no' considering that the 'san' in 'sannin' means 'Three' and therefore means that there are only three of the Legendary Sannin/Three Ninjas, namely: Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and Tsunade. No offense to ** Amorphusshadow** but I would just like to point this out to those who didn't know. Actually, I had originally thought of putting him as a sannin but had realized the error in this and instead made him one of Jiraiya's unnamed(coincidence?) students besides the Yondaime. It was actually a near valid observation.

There's a group picture of the genin team somewhere which had Jiraiya, Yondaime, a shaved slightly tanned kid, and dark-haired boy/girl. Look it up at: en. wikipedia. org /wiki /Image:Jiraiyageninteam .jpg (Remove the spaces)

Review please!


	5. Dull Day

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

**_"Windows to the Soul_****_"_****_  
_**_by Chronos Astral_

**_Chapter 4:_**

**_'Dull Day'_**

* * *

Yamanaka Ino was bored out of her mind. Today was going to be a dull day, she was sure. With her best friend, Haruno Sakura, unavailable for the day, she was left with nothing to do. Though she did note the evident changes in her friend's demeanor, like how she rarely cries anymore and has actually built up the courage to fight back against her bullies. When inquired, she would only mention a boy named Naruto, whom she says is responsible for the change. Ino would also notice that her friend would carry around an odd looking handkerchief, but decided not to ask about it.

Her father, Yamanaka Inoichi, had just recently come back from a mission and was sporting terrible muscle pains and stress. Having picked up an ad for a masseur, he had called for their services and asked Ino to wait at the door while he rested his aching back on the recliner. They had yet to arrive though.

**_Ding! Dong!_**

Not getting up from his seat, Inoichi addressed his daughter. "Ino-chan. Please answer the door."

"_Hai_, _Otou-san_." With a sigh, Ino complied.

Upon opening the door she was greeted with the sight of two men. One was the taller of the two, with blue hair tied into a ridiculously long ponytail garbed in a blue worker suit. The other was a good deal shorter and looked no older that six years old, dressed almost identically with a worker's hat shadowing the most of his face.

With a smile, the taller man greeted them. "_Ohayo-gozai_-" He was cut off by an elbow to his hip, courtesy of his younger counterpart. "I mean, _Konnichiwa_. We are the masseur services here for one Yamanara Inoishi-san. Is he home?"

"It's Yamanaka Inoichi, and I'm right here." With some difficulty, the older Yamanaka got up from his seat, feeling the tear of his muscles with each exertion.

The young masseur went up to his side. "Don't exert yourself so much, Yamanata-san. I'll get you to your room so we may start the session."

"It's Yamanaka..." He corrected again, before letting himself be led to his room by the man.

"_Otou-san_, can I have a massage too?" Ino inquired, having nothing else to do with her time.

"I don't kno-"

"Sure! My apprentice is capable enough for the job." The masseur cut him off and smiled at his smaller assistant who nodded in affirmative.

As the two older men left, Ino turned to regard the boy. "'Apprentice'? You're around as old as I am." She said incredulously.

The boy chuckled in response. "Well it doesn't matter. So, you want that massage?"

"Yeah. But it better be good."

The boy went over to one of the couches and set aside its pillows to clear space for the blonde Yamanaka to lie in. "Now I need you to take off your shirt."

"What!?" Ino burst a vein while reflexively putting her arms around her. She maybe too young to have a mature body but she still held insecurities of being half-naked around others. "I can't take off my shirt in front of a boy!"

"Don't worry. I'll turn around so I don't see, then you lie down on the couch." He assured her.

"Are you sure you won't look?"

"I promise." He turned his back to her, looking the other way while waiting for her to finish.

After a few moments of hesitation, Ino managed to undress herself of her shirt and had settled herself on the couch, with her back exposed to the boy. "I'm ready."

The boy removed his hat, revealing his unruly blond tresses, deep azure eyes, and unique fox-like whiskers. With a friendly grin he introduced himself. "Uzumaki Naruto. At your service."

_Naruto?_ Ino thought for a moment, before two small hands came in contact with the skin on her back. She yelped in surprise.

"Relax. Just let me do my work." Naruto began working his magic on her shoulders, earning a sigh of contentment. Expertly, he worked his hands into her muscles, knowing which point and area felt most soothing.

"Mmmm... That feels really good..." Ino felt herself relax into his touch, enjoying the slow lulling ministrations that tenderly caressed her body. She erased all insecurity and let herself drift into a peaceful trance that bordered a dream-like state and reality.

"Can you keep a secret?" He asked the girl. She nodded absently. "We're not real masseurs. We're only doing this for training and money."

"You and the other guy?"

Naruto nodded and shifted his hands to her feet. "That was my _nii-san_. He said that I will better understand the muscles of the human body if I were to experience it. I'm going to be a ninja after all, so I need to understand how the body works."

"Wow..." Was all she could say before the feeling of his hands knead her feet put her back in her half-lidded glaze.

Naruto smiled as his work procured excellent results. His 'nii-san' had taught him how to apply chakra into one's hand to manipulate the tendons in one's body. It was a basic medical jutsu taught to most chuunin that helped greatly in missions that required much exertion that would eventually lead to pulling or cramping of muscles. After much painful practice with his own hand and foot, he had nearly perfected the art, and was given the test of applying the same principle on another person without hurting them. He would have used it on the nameless man himself, but he had planned the more profitable method of temporarily selling their services to others. This was their eighth customer to date, and they were earning quite the keep.

Drifting away from his current musing, his mind had wandered to the thought of a certain pink-haired girl that was one of the first to have consider him a friend. They didn't see each other since their initial meeting, but he hoped that she had changed for the better with his departing words. He recalled the girl's conversation with whom he assumed was her best friend. He decided to query the blonde on Sakura.

"How's Sakura-chan doing?"

Ino perked at this. "So you're that boy Sakura keeps talking about? The one who wants to be Hokage?"

Naruto grinned sheepishly and itched the side of his face. "Yup. That's me."

She looked at him with a bit of scrutiny, sizing him up and down. "From the way Sakura talks about you, I thought you'd be taller and cooler-looking."

The blond boy grumbled and narrowed his eyes. "So you want me to stop?"

"No! I'm sorry! I'll be good!" Ino frantically begged.

"I'm just kidding," Naruto made a playful grin and resumed his work and the girl gave a relieved sigh. "So, how has she been doing?"

"She's changed a lot. She doesn't cry a lot like she used to and she doesn't call me when she's being bullied. She actually stands up to them now."

"That's good." The blond boy smiled to himself, proud of bringing about a positive change in his new friend. Returning his focus on the girl before him, he noticed a slightly dejected look on her face. "What's wrong?"

Ino closed her eyes in thought, trying to find the words to best express her thoughts. "It's just... I don't feel like I'm important to her anymore. Because whenever she cries and stuff, I always want to be there to make it better. But now that she's trying hard to stand up for herself, I don't know what I can do for her anymore."

Ino slowly recalled the events of her life that lead to her friendship with the pink-haired girl. "Before I met Sakura, I was sorta bossy and nobody liked me for it. I didn't have many friends, so I felt a little lonely. Then when I saw some bullies picking on Sakura, I yelled at them and told them to back off. That was when we became friends. I would always be the one to protect her, and she would be there for me."

"Now, I feel like I have nothing else to do for her. It's weird. And it makes me feel a little lonely." She finished with a long sigh, letting the boy's caress soften her mood.

"I think you're a good friend, Ino-chan, and I'm sure that Sakura-chan won't abandon you," He told her, rubbing the back of her neck gently. "She wants to be strong, because she doesn't want to feel weak anymore. To do that, she'll need your help though."

"My help?"

"Yup. Cuz she's not just doing this for herself. She's doing it for you too, Ino-chan," He lowered his head for her to have a better view of him. "Sakura-chan needs you to support her, because she gets stronger from you. She still needs you, Ino-chan, and I want you to help her too."

She eyed the boy curiously, baring into his blue eyes. "You want me to help her?"

"Yup. She's my friend too, y'know? And I think that if you help her, you will also help yourself."

"You want to help me too?"

"Of course!" He grinned. "I consider you my friend too."

At that, Ino couldn't help but blush and buried her head in her pillow. "Sh-shut up and keep going..."

"Alright then..." Naruto beamed, unaware of the small trickling of tears that snaked their way from Ino's face and onto the pillow.

* * *

Sandaime smiled softly as he gaze into his crystal ball, keeping track of both Naruto and his new guardian. From what he's seen, the man has done quite a lot in progressing Naruto's training. Many of his methods and lessons were clever and informative, almost enough to have Sarutobi convince the man for a job as chuunin teacher or maybe even a jounin instructor if he met the standards.

What he was most impressed by was how Naruto was gaining more and more friends with his guardian's teachings. The wisdom and kindness the man had exhumed and taught his young ward made it hard for the elderly Hokage to believe that this was the same man who had done that terrible act.

His smile faltered slightly at the recollection, but continued in his viewing of Naruto's session with the young Yamanaka. A poof of smoke erupted briefly in his office, revealing the presence of his former student, Jiraiya.

"How's he doin' sensei?" The sannin asked in a serious tone, cautious of his students behavior.

"He's doing fine, Jiraiya. He has made exemplary work in teaching young Naruto. Already, the boy has made great bounds in his progress and has made a few more friends along the way. He makes quite a better teacher than both you and me." Sandaime elaborated while smoking his favorite pipe.

Jiraiya narrowed his eyes but let that comment slide. "From what my information has told me, since the Kyuubi attacked six years ago, he had been wandering from village to village, not doing anything in particular. He had come to this one just a few months ago, on the anniversary of the Kyuubi's attack no less. That's all I've gathered so far."

The Sandaime nodded and told him of his own report. "From what I've gathered in his activities with Naruto, he has been using very little chakra and only small shreds of his strength in comparison to what we've seen of him the last time. I can't tell if he's suppressing his power, but it looks more like he's gotten weaker over time. Much weaker."

"I highly doubt that. For someone who could have been stronger in power and potential than the Yondaime, he couldn't get weaker than he was unless he wanted to be." The Toad Hermit thought scornfully.

"True..." The old Sarutobi mulled for a moment. "But what if he really did get weaker on purpose?"

"And for what reason would he do that?"

"Regret?" The answer made sense, for that would have been a viable reason for his former student to care for the boy. Maybe he felt guilt over what he's done?

"Maybe..." Jiraiya walked up closer to his former teacher, eyeing the scene that was displayed in his crystal ball.

_... That girl will fill in quite nicely when she grows up..._ Jiraiya thought with a perverted smirk.

* * *

"So Naruto..." Said the azure-haired man as he walked in stride with his younger counterpart. "How did it go?"

Naruto smiled fondly at him. "It went great, _ Nii-san_. I think I did really well and I even made a new friend."

The man beamed knowingly. "I thought so." He then switched to a lecturing tone. "So what advantages does this give a ninja?"

"When using the right amount of chakra on the right muscles, it triggers a sense of relaxation that completely drops the target's guard, thereby making it easy for quick assassination. Also, in their dazed state, it is also possible to easily extract information from them." He stated in the same tone.

"Very good, Naruto. But what did _you_ learn?"

The blond's smile went wider. Looking 'underneath the underneath' was something he was slowly growing adept at. "When I massaged those people, they felt really calm and peaceful, letting their troubles wash away from them. From what I've learned of others, they all have something to worry about, big or small. What we just did, helped them cope a little with those things like what I did with Ino-chan."

"And?"

"It felt... nice, to see other people happy from what I do. It gives this really warm tingly feeling." Naruto closed his eyes and gave a smaller serene smile, an almost perfect imitation of his guardian's. "It's better than any payment I've ever felt."

The man ruffled the boy's head fondly, proud of how the boy was progressing. To him, it was no longer just redemption. Not anymore. "Come on. Let's go get some ramen. From the tip we've received, we can eat our fill."

"YATTA!" Naruto cheered and reached for his hat to throw into the air in jubilation.

_Wait..._ He felt around his head, only for his hands to brush against his scalp. _Where's my hat?_

* * *

Ino felt ridiculous, looking at her reflection in her mirror. The hat was too large for her by a few inches and it didn't really suit her that well. It made her look a little boyish as well.

The junior masseur had left the blue cap by accident, serving as a small reminder of the blond. Strangely, she felt compelled to wear it. When it was loosely nestled onto her head, her first thought was that it looked goofy, but after being reminded of its previous owner, a warm feeling would envelop and caress her, almost similar to how she felt when he gave her that massage. With his words, she felt that she was wanted, and the funny-smelling headpiece reminded her of it.

Shaking her head, she gently removed the hat, and placed it on the desk next to her bed. Maybe she didn't need to throw it away. After all, it would have been a waste of a good hat, right?

* * *

Whoo...

Slowly progressing methinks.

A little lacking in the reviews. Need more...


	6. End of a Cycle

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

**_"Windows to the Soul_****_"_****_  
_**_by Chronos Astral_

**_Chapter 5:_**

**_'End of a Cycle'_**

* * *

A relatively normal day in Konohagakure no Sato and all was well for its inhabitants. A busy day for any man, with people going about their own business, buying, selling, working, resting, or playing. Even the local ninja have jobs to do, papers to sign, places to guard, and whatever else a Konoha-nin does. All in all, just an average day in Konoha.

Of course, 'average' is a word that doesn't apply in a place like Konoha.

If one were to look closely enough one would spot two blurs flitting through and fro within and above the village streets, expertly swerving in and out of buildings and avoiding contact with anyone. To the casual observer, they would have passed it off as a trick of the eyes. To the trained eye, it was a duo of ninja, playing an extreme game of tag.

"Come on, Naruto!" The blue blur called out while zipping across building to building. Behind him in close pursuit was another blur with a mane of yellow.

"Slow down, _Nii-san_!" The blond kicked off from a pole in the direction of his guardian, nearly needing to use both hands and feet to keep up.

"Can't do that! You need to know how to implement speed, chakra control, and pursuit at high velocities! You're enemies won't wait for you to chase them!" The man lectured him while running along a wall, picking up momentum for another jump. Swinging up a clothesline, he launched himself into the air, giving him a bird's-eye-view of the village. Sensing something to the west, his smile grew wide as he knew that it was something Naruto would be interested in.

The man dashed of into the direction of a training area, where his plan would come into fruition.

* * *

Hyuuga Hinata felt horrible with herself. She let her salty tears sting her eyes and cascade mournfully onto the grassy soil. 'Pitiful' she thought to herself. Pitiful that a Hyuuga would be so weak, physically and emotionally. She couldn't help it. Her clan was harsh, with her, constantly chipping away at her confidence with their spiteful words. Having no will to fight back, she merely took them in, letting herself wallow in her shame and sorrow. It built up her self-doubt, which sapped away at her strength, which drew even more hate and even more pain. A deadly cycle, to which there was no end. At least in her point of view.

The little Hyuuga Hanabi sat beside her weeping sister, trying to find the right words to say to make it all better. It hurt to see her like this. And it hurt even more that she couldn't do a thing. She was only four, she couldn't understand. She could only hug her, in the hopes that her pain would go away with her tears.

In their tribulation, they failed to sense the fast approaching intruder, making its way through the brush of the training area they took refuge in. The sound of branches and trees rustling had finally alerted them, and they tensed.

From the bush came a blur that jetted off into their direction. In their surprise, the two Hyuuga's put their hands in front of them, anticipating an attack. The intruder slowed down before them, briefly flashing his smiling face and light-blue mane at them, before darting off deeper into the forest.

Hanabi was the first to come out of her shock. "W-w-what was that?"

Before anyone else could say another word, a second round of rustling had started from the direction the stranger had come form. Another blur charged forward at them, with too much speed to stop. Hinata picked up a few tresses of yellow hair before it collided with her, sending both Hinata and said blond onto the floor.

"Oof!!"

"Ah!?"

"Hinata-Nee-tama!" Hanabi rushed over to her immobilized sister, ready to try defending her from their attacker.

"Ah! I'm sorry!" Naruto pushed himself off the dazed girl, and croaked an apology. He offered to help her back up, but she retracted shyly in response.

"Who're you!?" The younger Hyuuga sibling demanded, her loud almost commanding bark betrayed by her quivering feet.

"Huh?" Naruto turned his eyes curiously to the smaller pale-eyed girl, whom he assumed was the other girl's sister due to their physical similarities. "Oh! I'm sorry for startling you. I was just chasing after my Nii-san thought this place, though I think he's far away by now."

"I-I'm s-sorry..." squeaked a small stuttering voice.

"Eh?" Naruto kneeled down closer to the older girl, who's breathing was hitched and her cheeks were flushed and wet with tears.

"I'm sorry... th-that you couldn't catch him... It's because I-I was i-in the way and..." Hinata couldn't bring herself to continue and her eyes began leaking again.

At once, Naruto was at her side, trying frantically to comfort her. "N-no! It's alright, really! I was only playing a game with him! Please don't cry!"

Hanabi stomped indignantly, more confident since he didn't seem to want to hurt them, and angry with him for making her sister cry. "You made _Nee-tama_ cry!!"

"I-I didn't mean to!" He defended desperately, while trying to calm the girl with a few rubs to the back. Seeing that they weren't getting anywhere, Naruto decided to apply chakra in his ministrations to help the girl relax. It worked marvelously as the girl settled for small defeated whimpering and laying her head on his lap in a half-depressed half-dazed state.

After a few moments of uncomfortable silence, Hinata managed to shake herself from her trance. She noticed that she was using his lap as a pillow and blushed. "I-I'm sorry. I d-don't know w-what came over me a-and-"

"You know," Naruto cut her off. "You apologize too much."

"I-I'm sor-" She immediately stopped herself from muttering another apology.

Naruto smiled sweetly. "That's better." He turned to regard Hanabi. "Now what were you two doing out here all alone?"

The girl felt conflicted on whether or not to tell him of her sister's dilemma. Hinata noticed this, and decided to answer herself. "W-we... no... I was c-crying because _O-Otou-sama_ got angry at m-me for being weak in training a-again." She blubbered, tears threatening to spill once more.

"Weak?" Naruto blinked curiously. "Why would he think that?"

She wrung her hands nervously, trying to word out an answer. "I-I'm always s-scared, because I kn-know I'm going to f-fail..."

"You _know_ you're going to fail? You shouldn't think like that."

"I'm sor-"

Naruto put a finger to her lips, effectively stopping her. "You need to believe in yourself more. You can't get stronger if you always think you're weak or that you're going to fail."

She nodded absently, blushing all the while at the strange contact.

"So, may I know your names?" He asked.

The younger Hyuuga hesitated a moment. "... Hanabi. My name is Hanabi."

Naruto nodded and regarded the older Hyuuga on resting his lap. "And you are?"

"Hinata... H-Hyuuga Hinata..." She squeaked out, blushing all the while in his scrutiny.

"Well then, Hinata-chan, Hanabi-chan. It's nice to meet you both. I'm Uzumaki Naruto, and I think I can help you." He gently lifted Hinata's head from his lap and stood, eyeing the girl closely.

Struck with an idea, he shaped his fingers into a seal and cried. "**Kage Bunshin no Jutsu**!" Instantly an audible 'poof' was heard and smoke permeated in the air. Upon dissipating, two Naruto's were revealed to the bewildered sisters. One of them stepped forward to the gaping Hinata. "You were trained to fight a little, right?"

Still a little dazed from his jutsu, she nodded dumbly.

"Good. Now I want you to hit me with all your strength," He grinned reassuringly at her trouble expression. "Don't worry. I can take it."

Hinata was uncertain, darting her eyes back and forth between the two before her. _Hit him with all my strength?_ She asked herself. At once it triggered a memory.

_"Hit me with all your strength, Hinata." Hiashi demanded, towering his eldest daughter and heiress of the Hyuuga clan. He felt ashamed of her. To have someone like this as the heiress to one of the strongest clans in all of Konoha was a disgrace to him._

_Hinata only cowered before her father's gaze, tears spilling at the sides of her cheeks. She knew it was only a test, but she couldn't bring herself to hitting her father. And even if she did, she knew it wouldn't be backed with the strength her father wanted. It would only disappoint him in the end._

_Hiashi sneered in disgust and turned away._

_"Pathetic..."_

"I..." Hinata looked away, shame twinkling sadly in her eyes. "I can't..."

Naruto sighed. He knew this wasn't going to be easy. He looked to his clone and signaled him with a nod. Taking it as the cue to start, the shadow clone approached Hanabi.

The Hyuuga took a step back. "W-wha-?" She was cut off when the clone tackled her to the ground.

"Hanabi!" Hinata exclaimed in concern, expecting her sister to scream in horror. What was heard was the sound of hysterical laughter. "Hanabi?"

Taking a closer look, Hinata finds her little sister being mercilessly tickled by the clone. The petite girl struggled in vain, against the stronger boy's grip, giggling and laughing uncontrollably all the while. Desperately, she called for her. "_Nee-tama_! Hahaha! Help!"

Naruto grinned mischievously. "If you don't hit me, my clone will keep tickling her."

This didn't exactly achieve the desired effect as Hinata was immediately downtrodden. Seeing her sister helpless and 'tortured' in a way because of her had only worsened her opinion of herself. She still couldn't bring herself to hit the boy and blamed herself for hesitating and having Hanabi brought into her matters. While she knew that Naruto was trying to help her, she felt horrible that she would now be disappointing someone who could have been her friend and she might even lose the respect of her own sister.

With all these thoughts weighing down on her, along with the sorrow that still hung on her before she met Naruto, Hinata broke down and cried, sputtering apologies every which way. Naruto went to her side at once and tried calming her.

"Hey, hey. Come on. Don't cry..." He cooed softly to little avail.

"Don't worry about-nngh!" Naruto stopped dead as he cringed in silent pain, eyes losing focus.

"N-N-Naruto-san?" Hinata looked up to see his face contorted in pain. She looked around for the cause and found it latched to his leg.

Hinata gasped and drew back in fear as the snake withdrew its venom-dripped fangs from the blond's shin. The boy was knocked unconscious from the potent poison, and landed face-first into the ground. The viper coiled menacingly as it eyed the petrified Hyuuga in its slitted gaze.

"N-Nee-tama?" A terrified squeak called out to her.

"Hanabi! Run!" Hinata cried desperately to her sister, who was shaking in fear. The snake shifted its head to look at the smaller Hyuuga and hissed as it slithered its way towards her. In her fright, Hanabi attempted to flee, but only stumbled clumsily on her behind.

"H-Hinata-Nee-tama!! H-Help!!" She pleaded, too afraid to move with the reptile a mere foot away, ready to pounce. Tears brimmed from her pale eyes as she awaited her cruel fate.

"Hanabi!" In a mix of panic and sense of protectiveness, Hinata sprang up with a newfound strength.

With the remainder of his consciousness and strength, the shaky hand of Naruto held up a kunai for her. "U-use this..."

She stared at the kunai, seeing her reflection glint of the slightly worn metal. In her chaotic state of mind, images of her memories flashed before the steel, voices echoing within her.

_"You apologize too much."_

_"Pathetic..."_

_"You know you're going to fail? You shouldn't think like that."_

_"You need to believe in yourself more. You can't get stronger if you always think you're weak or that you're going to fail."_

_"Hey, hey. Come on. Don't cry..."_

_"H-Hinata-Nee-tama!! **H-Help!!**"_

Hinata accepted the weapon, not at all fazed by the aspect of wielding a tool of killing. Steeling herself with a determined scowl, Hinata charged in with little grace and form. She drove the blade into the reptile, impaling it into the ground. It writhed and squirmed in pain for a while before stopping dead.

"Nee-tama!" Hanabi snapped out of her stupor and embraced her savior in both relief and happiness. Hinata returned the hug with the same vigor.

In that instant, the snake disappeared with a poof of smoke.

**_Clap! Clap! Clap!_**

"You passed! Well done Hinata-chan!" Cheered the newly rejuvenated Naruto, grinning broadly as if nothing had happened.

"Huh?" The two sisters tilted their heads.

"You did it! I'm proud of-grk!" Naruto was cut off with a well-planted fist to his jaw, courtesy of Hinata. At the utter force of the attack, he fell onto his back.

The fuming Hyuuga bent down and started shaking the boy violently. She screamed at him without a stutter. "You mean to tell me that the snake was fake and you were only pretending to be unconscious!"

Naruto, who was too disoriented to form a proper word, only nodded.

"I was so scared to think what would have happened to Hanabi or you!" She seethed right in his face.

"It worked though, right?" The blond asked.

"I-!" Hinata snapped to realization, the adrenaline and panic in her slowly subsiding.

Naruto smiled, despite the throbbing pain in his bruised cheek.

After taking a few calming breaths, she realized that her face was quite near his, dangerously near, and that she was sitting on his stomach, her hands clenched with a fistful of his shirt. Something in her brain clicked and it snapped into realization. "Ah!?" She stood off of him and bowed repeatedly, her face redder than a tomato as she blurted one apology after another. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!!"

She stopped when she felt his hand on her cheek. "As cute as it was, at least you stopped stuttering." Naruto teased lightly, making her blush even more than possible. He walked over to Hanabi and lightly petted her head. "Sorry for the scare, but I had to make your _Nee-san_ braver somehow."

"So we're not in trouble? And _Nee-tama_ is gonna be okay?" She queried cutely, her eyes sparkled with child-like curiosity.

Unable to resist, Naruto picked the smaller girl up and mounted her on his shoulders. "Yup. Everything's fine now. Your Nee-san did really good." The little girl made a small cheer and yelped in glee as he jogged around with her riding his shoulder. He stopped in front of Hinata, who still felt a little ashamed for hitting him. Sensing this Naruto smiled assuringly. "You don't have to feel bad. You did what I told you to didn't I? _ 'Hit me with all your strength.'_ You did it, and it really hurt too."

"I-"

"Don't say sorry. I'm glad that you hit me. It means your not weak at all and you have the confidence to do anything with the right push." He gently put Hanabi down to properly regard Hinata. "You are anything but weak, Hinata-chan, I can assure you of that. You 'saved' your sister, so to speak, without hesitation, something that will require an amount of courage to do."

He put both his hands on her shoulders and peered deeply into her lavender eyes with his own cerulean.

"You are strong Hinata. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

Hinata gasped lightly at his words and his touch. She felt the familiar heat rise into her cheeks, giving them a great rosy hue. She found herself staring and couldn't look away no matter how much her shyness told her to.

This stranger, this person was telling her what had contradicted everything she was told, everything she thought she was. '_Strong_'. It seemed so foreign to her, and at one point thought the boy to be lying. His eyes spoke no falseness. He meant it. It was true? Was it true?

When Hanabi was in danger, only one thought crossed her mind. She didn't want to lose her. She didn't want the feeling of losing someone. Not again. Her mother was as dear to her as her sister, and she had died. She was so devastated at the fact that she could do nothing to have stopped it, so sullen, that her confidence had broken down. But at that moment, she could do something to protect her loved ones. At this one thought, she found unbelievable strength.

This blond stranger, this Naruto, had rekindled a familiarity she had longed for.

_"You are strong Hinata. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise." The words of a fond and gentle voice spoke to her. Words that carried with them love and compassion._

_"Hai, Okaa-sama." A small Hinata smiled brightly as her mother brushed her hair gently with her slender fingers._

To have someone have faith in her, was something that Hinata had always wanted. It made her heart race so, and she found herself doing something she never would have found the courage to do. She approached the boy, and hesitantly let her arms encircle him, tenderly pulling him closer into a hug. "...Thank you... Naruto-kun..." She mouthed softly, too embarrassed to look at the boy directly.

Surprised by the contact and words, his eyes went wide before letting himself hug her in return. "You're welcome Hinata-chan." He told her, unaware of the small tears of happiness that was drenching his shirt.

The moment lasted a while and they separated, much to Hinata's disappointment. Naruto dug into his pockets and presented to both girls two small crystalline like rocks. If one looked at them closely, they were shaped like a circle, many bits of it were chipped. It glittered mildly in the light of the sun, glinting its ivory exterior.

"It's so pretty. What is it?" Hanabi cooed in awe.

"I found these in one of the places my _Nii-san_ took me to. I shaped it a little with my kunai. It's not much, but you girls can have it." He stated and offered it to them.

"We couldn't-" Hinata tried to protest against his generosity but he insisted.

"Take it. Yellow means courage and its also the color of the sun like in your name. Let it be a reminder of what happened today and who you are."

Hinata couldn't suppress another blush creeping up her cheeks as she was touched at his thoughtfulness. "I can't thank you enough, Naruto-kun..." She said, taking one of the stones.

"Arigato, Naruto-Nii-tama!" Hanabi squealed as she latched herself onto him and happily took her present from his hand.

As Naruto busied himself with playing with Hanabi, Hinata eyed her present thoughtfully, setting it into the glare of the sun.

_Like the sun..._ She thought to herself. _Color of courage... Naruto's hair is yellow too..._

For the nth time that day, Hinata found herself going red.

* * *

The blue-maned figure watched then from the trees, beaming warmly to himself at the sight of the blond and his new friends.

"You've taught him well." Commented an aged voice.

"Thank you for the compliment Jirai-san." The man smiled knowingly at the presence of his former teacher, despite having gotten his name wrong.

Jiraiya grumbled. Even now, his student failed to get his name right. It didn't seem like he was doing it on purpose, and no matter how many times he corrected him, he would always call him 'Jirai-san'. Shaking himself from his annoyance, Jiraiya turned his attention to the blond once more. "He changes people as he goes. Is that your doing?"

The man shook his head. "It's a natural talent of his. Something that's touched even me."

Jiraiya nodded and noticed something off in the young Uzumaki's eyes. "Is that...?"

"Mmm... My, how oddly familiar that is." The man said as he also gazed at the boy's cerulean orbs.

The Toad Sannin swiftly turned to his blue-haired student. "You plan on awakening it!?"

The man smiled mysteriously. "Why, Jirai-san..." His body began fading away from plain sight, the light around him distorted and hazy. "... I believe..."

"... I don't know what you're talking about..." And he disappeared.

* * *

Finished! Took me a while on account of laziness and whatnot.

Before you ask, no it's not the sharingan or the byakugan or whatever other doujutsu you maybe thinking of that was in Naruto's eyes. All will be revealed in time.

Yellow means courage in Japan.

A little iffy on this chapter. Might edit it later.

I also have another Naruto fic going. It's "**Something About Naruto**", semi-crack fic about nearly everyone falling in love with Naruto, females _and males_. Not yaoi per say. Mostly humor.

I need more reviews please!!!


	7. Dead Aim

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

**_"Windows to the Soul_****_"_****_  
_**_by Chronos Astral_

**_Chapter 6:_**

**_'Dead Aim'_**

* * *

Naruto sighed for the nth time that day, as he waited for his 'Nii-san' from outside a modest weapons shop. Having grown tired of having to 'borrow' and 'return' the weapons they use for training, his surrogate older brother had finally decided to just buy the damned things with the savings they've earned from different odd jobs. Though the unnamed man was taking his precious time examining the different tools and blades. In fear of being denied of service or unreasonably charged higher prices, Naruto opted to wait outside. It was, however, taking a little longer than he thought it would. 

Looking around from where he stood, he noticed that fewer and fewer people would glare at him now and not one would spit in his general direction. Within the company of his 'Nii-san' Naruto had never felt safer, and he had good reason to believe so considering that no one dared to beat him now with the exception of a few drunks, but his 'Nii-san' would lead them away without any conflict.

Glancing at his right, he noticed a girl his age staring intently at the different blades on display, one of her more defining features being her hair which was tied into two small buns. She was quite immersed in taking in every detail of each weapon. She put a hand on the glass pane looking as if she imagined herself holding the weapons. So distracted by her own musings, she failed to sense the presence of the blond Hokage-aspirant approaching.

"Hey..." Naruto called out to her, startling her a bit before she turned to him.

"Um... I was just... er..." The girl seemed to be a bit nervous of something.

He eyed the girl questioningly. "You were...?"

She clasped her hands together and looked at him pleadingly. "Please don't tell anyone. They'll think I'm weird."

"'Weird'?" Naruto asked while tilting his head to the side. "Why would anyone think that?"

The girl rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "Well... Others would think it would be weird for a girl to like weapons."

Naruto tilted his head again, this time to the opposite side. "Why? I don't think it's weird."

She looked surprised at that. "Don't you find it weird for a girl to like things like this?"

"Why would it be weird for a girl to like weapons? I like them too, though I kinda like fighting with my hands better." He said with a bit of a confused expression. He honestly did not know what her dilemma was.

She found herself shocked before narrowing her eyes in suspicion, drawing her face closer to his. Naruto felt a little uncomfortable in her scrutiny. "... What?"

"Nothing." She told him, settling back to a small smile. "I was just checking to see if you were lying."

"I don't know why you find it hard to believe me." Naruto grumbled, as if he felt a little hurt at her doubt.

She sighed and shook her head. "No, it's not that. It's just that the other girls think it's weird for a girl to like 'guy things'. They like to pick on me for it too." She said dejectedly.

"Why should you care about what they think? I think its neat that your interested in weapons." He said with an honest smile.

This surprised the bun-haired girl and made her flush ever so slightly. It wasn't everyday she was complimented for what the other children of her gender thought of as a strange liking. "Thanks..."

Naruto stepped to the spot next to her, eyeing the many tools with the same intrigue. "My name's Naruto by the way. Uzumaki Naruto. And if you it's okay with you, I'd like to know why you like weapons so much."

She thought it over for a moment before relenting, trusting the boy enough. "Well firstly, my name's TenTen. I don't have a last name because I'm an orphan. As to why I like weapons, well... When I was young, I heard the people from the orphanage say that my mom and dad died because they tried protecting me. It hurt knowing that, but at least I know that my parents were good people."

"I thought to myself, that if I could protect people like that too, maybe they wouldn't be alone like me. And if I knew how to use a weapon to protect others, I might succeed at this. So I studied about them, how they were made, what kinds there are, and all that. After a while, I found it really interesting and I've been secretly hooked to it ever since." She finished with a longing smile.

Naruto gave this some thought and asked. "Does that mean you want to be a ninja?"

TenTen, the fellow orphan, nodded. "Yup. I plan on entering next year, but I want to keep that a secret from the others at the orphanage."

"Don't be ashamed of wanting to be a ninja. There are many girl ninja's too." Naruto assured her.

"Yeah... But I don't think I'll be that strong since I don't have anyone to train me personally." She said a bit dejectedly. "As much as I like weapons, I have really bad aim with just about anything."

"Now that won't do." The blond said as he felt around in his pocket and pulled out a worn kunai with an orange cloth wrapped around its hilt. "Follow me please."

The girl gave the weapon a once over and complied, falling in step with the boy.

* * *

"So..." Sarutobi mused as he smoked his pipe within the confines of the Hokage's office, already feeling a migraine coming. "He plans to awaken it I see... I can't say for sure if that's a good thing..." 

His student, Jiraiya, looked incredulous. "The boy's too young. We can't know for sure the consequences of it all, but we have to stop him. The power alone might consume him. That, or the pain..."

The Sandaime sighed tiredly, massaging his temple. "His intentions for Naruto are unknown as of the moment. From what we've gathered, he acts as if he knew nothing of the incident. He trains Naruto as if he were his own _ototo_. We can't separate the two, lest Naruto be so devastated as to activate it prematurely." The elder man blew out a long drag of smoke. "We can't risk it."

"Well we can't just stand here." The Sannin lowered his head, giving a swift glance around the room for any eavesdroppers. He whispered softly. "What of the Iwa?"

The Sandaime locked his hands together and rested his head on them. "For all Iwagakure knows, he is dead, and there is no one else in possession of his blood."

Jiraiya, though convinced that the Iwa wouldn't come snooping about, still couldn't shake the feeling of dread. "For our sake and the _gaki's_, let's hope my student pulls through."

* * *

"Here we are." Naruto gestured with his hand, to view the training area he had commonly used for practice with weapons. In the middle of the lush clearing of grass was a lone stump which sported many gouges and slashes. Painted on its bark was a bulls-eye mark, presumably used for target practice. 

TenTen looked over the landscape with a touch of curiosity. "What will we be doing here?"

Naruto took his place a meters away from the log and weighed the kunai in his hands. Giving it a tentative twirl, he positioned himself for a throw, concentrating on the painted circle on the log. With a bit of concentration, he hurled the kunai at the stump, imbedding the blade into one of the inner rings of the target. He earned a small applause from TenTen.

"Wow, that was pretty good!" She cheered.

"Now it's your turn." He said, handing her a practice kunai from his pocket. Though blunt and a little lighter than its genuine counterpart, with enough force, it can still embed itself into a wooden surface.

TenTen gave him a hesitant look. "I don't know... I'm very bad at this..."

"Don't be like that." The blond encouraged her with a pat on the back and heartfelt smile. "If you give up already, you'll never be good at it. You just need to try harder." He walked up to her and held her waist firmly.

"Wh-what are you-!?"

"Relax. I'm just teaching you the proper position." He positioned her waist in the correct manner, applying the same with her arms, legs, and wrist. Awkwardly, she let him move her limbs around and stood still in her stance. "Good. Now try throwing."

Clumsily, she guided her wrist into an arc and lobbed it in the direction of the stump. Disappointingly, it landed a few feet away from the target. TenTen sighed dejectedly. "See? I'm not good at this at all..."

"Nonsense! Now let's try again..." And they tried... And tried... And tried... Each ended in failure which drove TenTen deeper and deeper into her gloom.

"One more time!" Naruto said. That failed.

"One more time!" Another failure.

"One more!" Fail.

"Another!" Fail.

"Again!" The last one was a tad different from the rest, considering that it hit Naruto's foot, earning a yelp of pain from the poor boy.

TenTen supported herself weakly on all fours, a large black haze of gloom and depression weighing heavily on her. Naruto noticed and sweated. "Er... Let's... take a break then?"

"What's the use?" She slumped lower into the ground. "I just plain suck at this..."

"Hey..." The blond Hokage-aspirant crouched next to her and rubbed her back tenderly. "You can't just give up you know..."

"I appreciate it, Naruto, but..." She paused to wipe a stray tear from her cheek. "I don't think I'll ever get better."

"That's nonsense!!" Naruto snapped at her, causing her to flinch in surprise. There was a fire in his eyes, one that screamed a fierceness and determination. He took out his worn kunai again and handed it to her. "This was the first kunai I've ever used. I've practiced with it for as long as I can remember. It was also the first weapon I've ever landed a bull's-eye with." He supported her body up and guided her to the proper position once more, the blade in her hands glinting in the glare of the sun.

"Naruto..."

"Listen... You will never get better if you don't try hard enough. You can't expect to be good right away at something right away. It takes much more than that." He finished adjusting her wrist properly and stepped back. "Take aim for what you pursue. If you love what you do, then do it. Enjoy it. Set yourself to work for your dreams, like what I do when I want to be Hokage. My _Nii-san_ tells me to always work hard for my goals so that I may reach them."

"Take hold of your dream, aim for it, and let fly, Ten-chan." He finished with a heart-warming grin.

TenTen jumped a little upon hearing him call her name in an affectionate manner. Her cheeks tingled red and she looked away embarrassedly. She looked to the worn blade in her hand._ Take hold..._ She gripped it tighter. She wanted to get better. Stronger.

_Aim for it..._ She set her eyes on her target. To use weapons as a means to protect what she found precious. To wield them expertly and proudly without fear and with total confidence.

_Let fly! _She flung the kunai at the stump, more grace and finesse in her throw than all her previous ones. The sun's light shone on its metal surface once more, the orange cloth flapping wildly in the wind. There was a resounding _Thwak!_, followed by a brief silence.

"Y-You did it Ten-chan!" Naruto whooped and laughed. "It's a bull's-eye!"

True enough, to her great astonishment, it had pierced the dead center of the tree, the cloth tied to its hilt fluttering as if symbolizing her victory. Before she could speak a word, she was lifted upwards with immense strength, courtesy of the cheering blond. He held her at her waist, hoisting her up with mirth. The burning in his eyes were replaced with a sparkle of joy and pride. "It took me weeks to get something like that, y'know!? You have great potential!"

Still quite shaken, she barely squeaked a reply. "I-I do?"

He put her back down on the ground gently, supporting her wobbly frame that was caused by the sudden imbalance. "Of course you do! With enough practice and hard work, you could be a weapons master!" He grinned.

Touched by his words, TenTen looked away a little, embarrassed and blushing. "Why did you stick with me all this time?" She asked, genuinely curious as to why he would go out of his way to do all this for someone he's only just met.

"I had confidence in you, Ten-chan. I knew you could do it if you tried hard enough." Naruto put a caring hand on her shoulder, startling her a bit. "You're my friend Ten-chan, and friend's help each other."

* * *

The man smiled at the bun-haired girl's extremely red face as she stuttered incoherently. He saw the blond boy put a hand on her face, asking if she had a fever, which only made her impossibly redder and even more flustered. In her discomposure, she failed to see the boy's the brief faint glow in the blond's normally cerulean eyes. 

"So it's true then..." A certain Sannin spoke as he appeared beside the man. "You do plan to awaken his bloodline."

"A bloodline you say? I wasn't aware that he had one. Quite a surprising kid..." The man mused in wonder.

"Don't play dumb! You know more than anyone else of his bloodline! It's a dangerous one at that! You mustn't activate it!" Jiraiya snapped at his former student.

The man tilted his head in query. "Why not? I heard bloodlines were quite nice to have as a ninja, and considering that Naruto wants to be Hokage, it will help in achieving his dream won't it?"

"You dumbass!!! The effects of his bloodline are much too dangerous!" The Sannin grabbed his shoulders and peered hard into the man's facet. "You, of all people, know that!!"

"That boy..." The stranger glanced at his young ward once more, seeing him cheer on his new friend as she launched one kunai after another with great succession at the battered stump. He beamed lightly. "He's a special one..."

* * *

"But Naruto..." TenTen argued, trying to deny his gift, but Naruto insisted once more. 

"Keep it. Think of it as your lucky kunai from now on." Naruto pushed the kunai back into her hands. "Let it be a reminder of what you've achieved today."

And she did want to keep it. The kunai was rough and worn though still effective, and the orange attached to it seemed to remind her of her new blond friend. To her, it was symbol of her own determination and will as it represented the experience and skill Naruto possessed, something she hoped to achieve as well. A present she would be all too happy to accept. "Th-thank you... Naruto..."

He grinned. "You're welcome Ten-chan."

* * *

And done! 

I might edit this a little later.

Reviews are appreciated!


	8. Redemption

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

**_"Windows to the Soul_****_"_****_  
_**_by Chronos Astral_

**_Chapter 7:_**

**_'Redemption'_**

* * *

Within a years time, Naruto had become progressively stronger, smarter, and most importantly much happier as his bond with his nameless brother held true. Today, they would celebrate not only the boy's coming birthday, but their own one year spent as blood brothers. It went without saying that they held great respect and friendship in each other, deeper than the bonds of even true siblings. Much deeper. It was unfortunate for the blond that, because of his constant training, he couldn't find time to play with his new friends. His brother more than made up for that though, devising ways to entertain as well as train themselves in the arts of a ninja.

Uzumaki Naruto, scorned village pariah, had his heart swell with joy and pride. Looking at his guardian's beaming face as they walked the village streets, his own smile grew wider. "Where are we going, _ Nii-san_?"

The man noticed the excitement brimming in his charge's eyes and grinned. "It's a surprise." He stated mischievously.

It only served to incite even more anxiety into the boy. "Can you at least give me a hint?" He jumped at the aspect of a surprise, for when it came to his 'Nii-san', surprises were a always a good thing.

"Nope. You're going to have to wait." He teased again.

Their small bout was short-lived by an aged white-haired man with an outlandish attire like that of a Kabuki dancer. He appeared in puff of smoke before them, eyeing the two cautiously, accentuating the already noticeable wrinkles on his face. "You..." He pointed at the older of the duo.

The man responded by enquiringly pointing at himself. "Me?"

"Yes, you. You're coming with me to see the Sandaime. He wants to have a talk with you." The Sannin said in a way that held no room for argument. Jiraiya eyed the blond in his company. "Leave the boy."

"Why can't I come?" Naruto asked the stranger.

The blue-haired man patted the boy's head reassuringly. "I'll be back." He walked over to the Sannin with a serene smile, though the elderly man narrowed his eyes at the gesture. With one last glance over his shoulder, the man waved a small goodbye to his surrogate younger brother and disappeared in a swirl of smoke in unison with his former teacher.

This left Naruto with a sour mood, that is until he felt a tap on his shoulder. The boy looked over his shoulder to eye the stranger. He grinned.

* * *

As with all who are graced with the privilege of donning the Kage's hat, the dreaded illness known only as the 'Kage's Migraine' was slowly creeping up the base of Sarutobi's forehead. It was a disease known to be caused by times of stress, mostly in the form of troublesome ninja, and was renowned to be caught by most village heads across the continent. It was unknown as to why this was the case, but few suspect that it had something to do with the hat.

The telltale sound of knocking was heard from the door to his office. A tired sigh escaped his lips as he felt the full force of the migraine relentlessly throb in his head. He was way too old for this crap. "Enter..."

The newcomers complied, stepping into the room and locking the door shut behind them. Sarutobi eyed them both, his former student, the Toad Sannin and self-proclaimed super pervert, Jiraiya, and his former student's student, the very reason for his immense migraine. Said man grinned and bowed in greeting. "_Konbanwa_, Sandaime-san."

"You do know it's morning right?" Jiraiya asked the man. His response was a look of wonder and curiosity as the man tilted his head. "Never mind..."

The Sandaime cleared his throat, catching their attention. "I think that you are aware of the reason of your being here."

"Nope. Not a clue." The man answered seemingly honestly. It was nearly enough to make the older two facefault to the ground.

"Don't play with us! You want to awaken the boy's bloodline!" Jiraiya accused, quite agitated at his student's adamant denial of the truth.

"Yes I do. It would be much easier to do if I knew what it is though..."

"You know perfectly well what the boy's bloodline is! Why do you keep denying-!?" Jiraiya stopped dead before finishing his question. _Of course! His bloodline! He doesn't remember because of his bloodline!_ The Sandaime noticed as well and mentally prepared himself for what was to come. If all else failed, his finger was ready to press against the seal he had set up underneath his desk.

Jiraiya looked him in the eyes. "I know that you can remember. Show me your true self, now!" Seeing the brief flash in his student's now open eyes as a sign that his method was working. "This isn't you! It's only a hollow reflection of your past self! You're in there somewhere, so come out, damnit!"

A brief burst of chakra sprang forth from the man's body, surging from his limbs and into his eyes. For a moment the man's uncovered amethyst eyes burned to a blurry ashen color, before settling once more. There looked to be a significant change in the man as his normally cheerful visage was replaced with a more callous scowl and eyes that were set in a narrow glare.

"No... This isn't you either..." The Sannin gaped at the man who was supposed to be his student. Sandaime looked on in bewildered awe.

The newly transformed man, turned his head and spoke in a tone that revealed no emotion. "I'm afraid that your student of 20 years ago is not present at the moment. I am here to replace him."

Jiraiya's eyes narrowed in recognition at the change.. "One of his three spirit personas of the **_On'you Iki Hinsei _** (**Yin and Yang Spirit Characters**), my student's bloodline. You are ** _Sujimichi _** (**Logic**). And the previous one I presume to be **_I_****_yoku _**(**Will**)?"

"It's true. I am **_Sujimichi_** of the **_On'you Iki Hinsei_**, and the persona you were previously speaking to was**_ Iyoku_**, or at least part of him.Though, as you know, this isn't the entirety of _our_ bloodline." He emphasized the word 'our' as if talking about more than one of himself. "As for the true persona of your student, I'm afraid he does not want to see you at the moment." The man said with a baritone, as if uninterested.

"Why's that?" Jiraiya growled in dangerous voice that promised pain.

"Guilt." He stated simply as if it were obvious. "He is much too ashamed of himself to face you."

The Sannin stared silently, as if thinking something over but not letting down his guard over him. The Sandaime decided it as his chance to voice his own question. "Why do you intend on awakening Naruto's bloodline?"

"It is not I who wants to, the true persona does, and I think it is an act of atonement on his part. I,**_ Iyoku_**, and **_Itami _**(**Anguish**). We of his _**Hinsei**_ all agree with his plan, as it will give him peace and finally settle his unrest."

"I just can't let you awaken Naruto's bloodline." Jiraiya set his feet firmly on the floor. "You yourself can be barely control it."

The man only forlornly closed his already barely open eyes and took a deep breath. "I'm afraid you have no say in this matter."

"I'm your teacher! You're my student, as was Minato!" Jiraiya bellowed in anger, his composure breaking from his pent-up frustration.

At the mention of his former teammate, the man cringed as something inside of him threatened to emerge. Jiraiya noticed and pressed on. "Remember that it was because of your bloodline that Minato and your sister died!"

The man clutched his head, as if in pain, his apathetic expression diminishing. "Stop..."

"He was your best friend, damnit!" Jiraiya shouted right at his face. The Sandaime was about ready to take any drastic measures.

"I... Can't... Minato... Naruto... Nee-chan..." His eyes went wide, taking a dark shade of purple and black. Dark tendrils of chakra erupted from the man as he gripped his head harder.

At once the Sannin was both shocked and afraid. In his anger, he had accidentally set his student into a deep depression, and with that added to his bloodline, it would leave devastating results. He tried fighting against the immense gale. "Snap out of it!"

The Sandaime wasted no time and smeared the seal underneath his desk, sending black markings to converge across the room and onto the spasming man. The markings fought the mass of chakra with their own, but to no avail as the seal shattered and faded.

In the vortex of dark haze, the silhouette of a weeping man Jiraiya could see ever so slightly. Forlornly, he asked the figure. "Is it you...? Is it really you...?"

The weeping man looked up amidst the black and white crackles of chakra that struck from his body. His image started to blur and haze away, the darkness seeping away with it. He had brilliant violet eyes that were struck with fear and remorse, tears brimming from his cheeks. Before he vanished completely, he looked into his teacher's eyes sadly and mouthed a few shaky words.

"I'm so sorry... S-Sensei..."

Jiraiya tried to grab hold of him, but his hands went right through him. '_Seirei Bunshin_!?(Spirit Clone)' He screamed incredulously in his head. '_Then where's the real-!?_' His eyes then widened as it hit him.

"Where's the Uzumaki _gaki_ now!?" He implored the Hokage.

Shaken by his demand, Sarutobi hastily searched his drawer for his crystal ball, only to find nothing. _'He didn't...'_

* * *

"I have a bloodline, _Nii-san_!?" Naruto whooped excitedly, despite himself. He was elated when his guardian sneaked away from the dirty-looking Oyaji, and was even more excited at the aspect of a _ Kekkei Genkai_. How the man knew was of no concern to him since his enthusiasm overrode him.

"That's right, Naruto. It's a strong one too, more powerful than you can ever imagine." He said with a tone of wonder. He led Naruto into a thick forestry, trees of every size littering the area. Bringing a bag of his belongings with him, he expertly swerved through the greenery, giving guidance to his young ward.

"Ne, _Nii-san_, where are we going?" Naruto asked again, ducking under branch in the way.

The man chuckled mysteriously. "I told you, it's a surprise. Think of it as a present for your birthday."

Naruto was disappointed with his answer again but felt that he would find out eventually. Upon reaching a small sunlit clearing, the blond let his eyes wander curiously upon the lush landscape. A large patch of grass spread out upon the clearing, few rocks and animals scattered about around it, and its edges darkened with the shadows of trees. To the side of the clearing was a stream of water, pebbles and small fish visible through its clear surface.

Letting his childish inhibitions take over, Naruto raced over to the middle of the radiant expanse of land, laughing all the way. He dived into the tall grass, letting the soft soil cushion his fall. He lied there in the thick of the brush, staring into the sky, allowing his innocence to show.

To Naruto, it was times like these that were the best in his life. Having known only pain and loneliness for the better part of these few years, he was thankful for the appearance of his '_Nii-san_', who had become his beacon of hope and light, guiding him and giving him strength while also filling the void solitude in his heart. Honestly, this was enough of a gift for him.

Sitting up, he saw his '_Nii-san_' beaming at him warmly while pulling a few things out of his bag. Naruto caught a glimpse of a familiar crystal ball, but shook it off before inquiring him. "Is this my present, _Nii-san_?"

"Half of it." He stated simply as he removed a small rod-shaped object wrapped in a thick cloth. "I'll also be unlocking your bloodline."

"_Really_!?" He stood with vigor, jumping for joy.

"That's right. But to do that, I'll have to send the both of us somewhere." The man approached Naruto, the clothed object in his hand.

"Where to, _Nii-san_? Aren't we already here?"

The man smiled wider. "No. I need to send you somewhere different. But for it to work, I need you to close your eyes."

"Oh? Okay then." Naruto complied, giddy with excitement.

The man's smiled faltered at that moment, letting the shadows of his bangs hide his eyes. With care, he slowly unwrapped the object, gently handling it with ease.

"Hey Naruto..." He started seriously, raising the object.

"...Do you fear death?"

Naruto opened his eyes in bemusement of his brother's words and attempted to inquire him of it. His words had stuck in his throat, when he felt a sickeningly familiar feeling stabbing into his gut with great force. His eyes widened in fear of the numbness in his stomach. Looking down slowly and fearfully, he saw his brother's arms clasped down right at his diaphragm.

In his hands, an intricate blue dagger that dripped with his crimson life essence.

The man he considered his closest family, had just stabbed him.

* * *

"It looks like he did steal it, after all." The Sandaime said absently as he gave up on searching for his stolen crystal ball. Right now he needed an aspirin to sooth his migraine. He was way too old for this shit.

In an unexpected turn, Jiraiya laughed sadly to himself. "Ahaha! That guy... He's always been the sneaky one... Just like Minato..."

The Sandaime agreed. "Yes. The two were birds of the same feather. It was no wonder they'd be best friends." He mused to himself, stroking his beard. "And his sister was their near complete opposite."

"Yes. She became a fine woman." The Sannin reminisced with a hint of melancholy. "They say opposites attract. So it's also no wonder how she ended up marrying Minato."

* * *

Naruto shivered, feeling the cold metal plunge even deeper, feeling vital organs pierced and fluids leak away from him. The air felt so unbelievably freezing on his paling skin. It reminded him of his near-death just a year ago, the frigid loneliness and sorrow that shook him to the bone. It was happening right before him, only it felt a hundred times worse than it did before. Like his heart was wrenched away from his body and grinded into a pulp. It was like being alone again.

The familiar darkening of rain overcame them, droplets of water falling freely from the skies. It came down heavy, letting his blood slowly wash away into the soil. The dark clouds converged, thunder clapping and lighting flashing within them. Forlornly they stood there, neither moving, neither speaking, as they were bathed with the tears of the heavens above.

Naruto had little strength to speak, the pain finally coming to him and the overbearing heaviness weighing down too hard on his heart for him to voice words. His tears spoke for him, as they streaked down his face, mixed with the waters of the downpour.

Despite it all, he managed to croak out a single word, before the darkness enveloped him.

"... W-why...?"

* * *

"And the two best friends became brothers." The Hokage contemplated with an air of grief, recalling the life of his late successor.

"Namikaze Minato, _Kiiro Senkou _and Yondaime Hokage of Konoha."

"His wife, Uzumaki Kushina."

"His son, Uzumaki Naruto."

"And his best friend. Naruto's '_Nii-san_' or more precisely, his _ojisan _(Uncle). Uzumaki Toruna."

* * *

Uzumaki Toruna looked into his nephew's, no, his _ototo_'s tear brimmed eyes with his own. He answered.

"... Redemption..."

And he drew the knife deeper.

* * *

A/N

This chapter took a while. Anyway, it might be a little hard to follow but I think you'll get it.

Time-skip on the next chapter. Further explanation will be done in time.

Girls decided in the Harem so far:

Sakura

Ino

Hinata

TenTen

Temari

Hanabi (made a little older)

And others I will leave as a small surprise.

Girls for debate:

Hana (Kiba's sister)

Anko

Yugito

Send me your thoughts on these. It won't be a vote per se. I just want to have your opinions on how that would put up so that I can use it as a basis. I'm actually leaning on adding Anko, but I'll be needing a way to make it fit.

See that button down there that says send review? Please do what it says.


	9. Moving By

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

**_"Windows to the Soul_****_"_****_  
_**_by Chronos Astral_

**_Chapter 8:_**

**_'Moving By'_**

* * *

Umino Iruka wasn't just nervous. Oh, no. He was downright troubled. He put up a calm facade as he wrote significant pointers on the blackboard, lecturing all the while about the basics of chakra gathering before his class, when inside he was trembling with anxiety. He hoped that the class didn't notice the small shaking in his voice. He couldn't help it. If this got out, he might have to kiss his teaching_ and _ninja career goodbye.

His eyes took a brief glance at the very source of his distress. Spiky sun-kissed hair. Disturbingly angelic smile. Constantly sealed eyes. And to top it all off, exotic whisker marks. As if knowing that the scarred chuunin was eyeing him, the boy turned his head to his direction and beamed. Flustered, Iruka looked away and continued his lesson, though he felt that the boy's grin grew even wider.

Iruka was not having a good day at all as his thoughts constantly drifted to the beginning of the day when all the trouble began.

Trouble in the form of a new student, the enigmatic blond boy that was Uzumaki Naruto.

* * *

Today was just like any other day in Konohagakure no Sato's Ninja Academy, as young ninja-aspiring candidates clamored with the last of their innocence as the children they are. Various activities always sprouted from these students, always finding ways to entertain themselves as they work their way to hopefully join the respected ranks of the Konoha-nin.

It was like any other day with chatting, gossip, bragging, paper airplanes flying, studying, arguing, brooding, or whatever else the eccentric batch could do.

Noticeably, at one corner of the room, was a raven-haired boy who's handsome features had attracted a flock of females his age to his side, complimenting him for his 'greatness' and fighting over the seat next to him, much to his growing ire. Uchiha Sasuke, last remaining Uchiha 'loyal' to Konoha, just didn't find them worth his time, as much of an ego-boost as it might be. With those thoughts he steeled himself to block away their caustic babbling.

The only few females in the room that weren't throwing themselves at the moody Uchiha were but a group of three, possibly the only few girls that took the kunoichi profession seriously. The three were the best of friends as well as rivals, always trying to top the other over the prize of "Kunoichi of the Year".

The brunette among them, the current lead in their small competition, was notably a Hyuuga as shown by her pale white eyes that showed a great deal of kindness yet a fiery determination. She wore a large white jacket that hid most of her lithe form but had left the zipper open, revealing her dark mauve undershirt, and dark pants along with it. "Sasuke-san is getting more attention that usual today..." Hyuuga Hinata noted, speaking without the same stutter she once had in her childhood.

"I'm guessing it's because today's physical examination day. Their probably too excited to wait for another of his jutsus." Haruno Sakura, the brains of the group, quipped absently, shaking her head as the squabble had now resorted to hair-pulling and wrist-biting. The girl was genetically granted a strange mop of naturally pink hair, cut short so to prevent it from straying onto her face during a fight and inviting emerald green eyes. Wearing a modest red dress, fastened and cut for better combat performance over black form-fitting shorts, she was not one to put fashion or other menial things over her work.

Yamanaka Ino grinned at the poor Uchiha's irritated expression as he willed himself to tune out the catfight that had erupted right next to him. Ino was a platinum blonde with teal blue eyes that beheld a sense of beauty. She had the more maturing body of the two and it showed with her sleeveless purple top that showed her slim midriff and a purple skirt over her bandage leggings. She was also the most aggressive and protective one of them, acting as the older sister of sorts.

It was a known fact in the class that those three had no interest in the Uchiha heartthrob, which earned them the respect, admiration, and sometimes even affection of the male half of the batch. Even Sasuke had to admit they were talented in their own right, having sparred with them a few times. When inquired of why, the three answered that they had better things to with their time than gawking at the obviously uninterested boy. Once they were accused of liking another boy. Their only answer was flushed silence.

Outside of the classroom, a scarred chuunin by the name of Umino Iruka, teacher of this batch of would-be genin, felt troubled by what he was informed of by the staff. Apparently it was talk of a new student was coming in late at the last year of the academy, but it wasn't just anyone. It was the one and only most infamous child of all of Konoha, and Iruka was to be his teacher for the remainder of the year.

_Joy..._

He swore internally. He knew this wouldn't end well, he just _knew it_. While the Kyuubi did leave him orphaned, he only had conflicted feelings for the boy, seeing that he was also an orphan and that he didn't think anyone deserved that kind of scorn, especially one so young. But he heard rumors before, on how the boy had managed to control the mind of some stranger years ago. Shaking away these thoughts, he decided to cross that bridge when he got to it, steeling himself and opening the door to his classroom.

"Alright, quiet down!!" He commanded the students with a booming shout, forcing them to stop whatever they were doing and sit quietly, giving their full attention. Iruka nodded at their obedience and mentally prepared himself. "Class, we will be having a new student joining us today. Due to a few circumstances, he is only able to join the academy today."

As he finished his small briefing, a knock on the door interrupted him that he assumed to be the arrival of said student.

'_Here it goes..._'

Iruka swiveled his head to the direction of the door, followed by the class who were curious as to whom this boy was that would attend so late into the academy. "Enter."

The resounding click of the knob was heard followed by the ominous creak of hinges as the door slowly swung open. Footsteps padded from behind the door and forwards to the front of the classroom, revealing a distinct blond child of around twelve years of age. The boy was a bit tall for his age, many strands of blond saggy hair spiking outwards and down onto his shoulders into a ponytail that looked more like a long yellow porcupine hanging off the back of his head. He had his eyes sealed shut in a serene look which made one wonder how he could see where he was going. A pristine captivating smile plastered his attractive facet, projecting an easygoing and tranquil appearance. He wore a loose dark blue kataginu over a black kimono with a blue fitting hakama over it and the standard shinobi sandals. Though despite all this, his most notable feature was the unique marks on his face that looked to be whiskers.

Iruka made a mental equivalent of a nervous gulp. "Introduce yourself to the class and tell us a little about yourself."

The boy nodded and spoke with a calmness and serenity of one enlightened. "My name is Uzumaki Naruto. I aspire and persevere to become a Konoha ninja and gain the title of Hokage, in my and my Nii-san's honor. I may not be of any prestigious clan or in possession of any revered bloodline that you know of, but I work myself to be stronger and someday become the strongest of all ninja," He was about to end his speech but he remembered to add one more detail.

"Oh, and I am also the Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi no Kitsune. It's a pleasure to meet you all."

* * *

By Kami, he nearly pissed himself when he heard that.

The chuunin did his best to focus on the lesson, trying to shake away the feeling of dread and foreboding yet failing as the thought of the Uzumaki boy boring into his back only heightened his anxiety. He didn't know if it was a blessing or a curse that none of the students knew what a 'jinchuuriki' was. It was a relief to know at the least that they weren't exactly aware of the boy's condition but that also led to them inquiring him of what the meaning of 'jinchuuriki' was, which made it even more bloody uncomfortable than it already was.

In contrast to the distressed thoughts of the chuunin teacher, the thoughts of the students were that of intrigue and curiosity. Or most of them at least as certain individuals either couldn't care less, found it too troublesome to think on, were too busy eating, or too enamored with the boy to notice.

If one looked close enough, they would notice that one Yamanaka Ino, Hyuuga Hinata, and Haruno Sakura appeared to be flustered and almost wide-eyed in awe. If one looked _really_ close enough, they would spot the tinge of pink in their cheeks.

'Uzumaki' was not a common surname and the same goes for the given name 'Naruto. Blond boys with whisker-like streaks on each cheek that aspired to be Hokage are an even greater rarity. Narrowing it down, there would only be one boy that fit the above descriptions that compare with what the girls could remember of their respective pasts with him.

The _one_ and the _only_ Uzumaki Naruto.

The girls felt a distinct warmth well up inside their stomachs, impelling them to squirm uncomfortably in their seats. The three found themselves staring, not able to look away from the boy as they drank in his every feature. The boy had grown considerably through the years in a physical sense, seeing the baby fat on his face was non-existent now and his pronounced collar bone was visible through the opening of his loose-fitting gi. He didn't look to be one who trained often seeing as his skin bore little to no imperfection and seemed to be very smooth to the touch. The girls had to acknowledge how handsome he looked to them, wondering how the boy of six years ago could turn into this stunning Adonis of a pre-teen. And to think, he had yet to grow into his teenage years.

Sakura felt ecstatic at the sight of her second true friend. Try as she might, the butterflies in her stomach wouldn't settle. Unconsciously, she reached into her pocket, feeling the material of a nostalgic handkerchief brush against her fingertips. The cloth had been with her all this time, refusing to let go of it at all, just like the ribbon that Ino had given her. At times she would longingly trace the swirls embedded into the fabric, reminding her of her fateful encounter with the selfless boy. Though she would never admit it to anyone, her reason for wanting to be a kunoichi wasn't just to gain strength to support herself, but it was also influenced by the blond boy's heartfelt words. He had said that she looked intelligent, which had been her drive to study vigilantly, and how her name and hair fit perfectly, even adding that it looked cute on her.

Ino, herself faired no better and felt very conscious of herself and how she looked like to him. Often at night he would think of him, going to sleep with the boy's cap, his unofficial reminder of him as well as one of her most precious keepsakes. She could remember how they met and how his hands soothingly caressed her in the past. How he soothed her with his words and ministrations. In her younger years, the thought made her giggle uncontrollably, but now the very mental image of his hands going down her back like they once did made her shiver pleasurably, wanting more. Mentally, she asked herself if her hair was fixed right, or if her shirt was properly fastened, or if there were any blemishes on her face.

Hinata couldn't stop shaking as she felt Naruto's presence in the room. At the mention of his name, she was stunned, bewildered, and flustered, unable to look at him directly out of fear that he would look back at her and make her flush even more. She found the strong her to tap her fingers together, a reaction she had once when she felt very unsure or nervous.. After his successful attempt at boosting her confidence, she had found herself growing stronger over the years, never backing down at the harsh words her clan would spit. She had come to truly appreciate what he had done for her, treasuring the stone he had given her, going as far as having it fastened into a necklace that she wore everyday. She could never bring herself to remove it, even when she bathed.

In their distraction, the girls had failed to pay any attention to the lesson being given. Iruka damned the lesson plan he had for today. Of all the things he could be teaching of all the times. With a mental sigh, he resigned himself to fate.

"Can anyone tell me of the incident of the Kyuubi no Kitsune?" At that point, he avoided calling on the blond boy that constantly raised his hand to recite.

* * *

"Excuse me, Sensei?"

Iruka's thoughts screamed. '_Please don't be him, Please don't be him, Please don't be him!_' He turned about and found the beaming face of his new student, Uzumaki Naruto, inquiring him. '_I hate you Kami..._'

"Yes, Naruto?" The chuunin failed at trying to hide the tremble in his voice.

"No offense meant, sensei, but I'm afraid you may have misinformed the class with that lesson." Naruto stated.

"O-oh?" Again, his tone shook. Maybe the Hokage would go easy on him and settle for only life imprisonment. Maybe none of the students would tell their parents of what had transpired.

Maybe the sky was neon pink.

The boy nodded, still managing to smile. "From what I know, the story is quite different from what you've taught, sensei."

This only confirmed the chuunin's suspicion that the boy knew of his 'tenant'. "Naruto..." Iruka darted his eyes for any listeners. "I want you to understand that there is a law that forbids me to even speak of what _really_ happened to the Kyuubi and-"

"I know, sensei," Naruto cut him off and gave a small toothy grin. "I was referring to your explanation as to why the Kyuubi attacked the village."

Iruka became interested at this. "You see, sensei. The Kyuubi did not attack the village for its dislike of humans. Though it doesn't like mankind, it wouldn't attack unless provoked or otherwise."

Naruto continued in a tone that spoke of intelligence much more advanced than that of a twelve year old. He watched as he had caught his teacher's full attention. "At the time, the Kyuubi did not want anything to do with Konoha, or any human for that matter. The demon had been driven into a rage, through the effects of a rare bloodline. Our village had the sad misfortune of being within its warpath. Interesting enough is that the person who had performed it was a nin from Konoha itself."

"To put it more precisely, his fury was brought upon by the bloodline of my own uncle, Uzumaki Toruna."

It was at this point that Iruka would be screaming 'WHAT THE #$!!!' but he had settled for a wide-eyed mouth-agape expression and instead recited those words in a mental mantra. Talk of the Kyuubi was always an uncomfortable subject with Iruka, a prospect the other instructors and ninja respect. Now the very boy _containing_ said beast was _casually _speaking to him about it. Not only that, if he were to believe the boy's words, it was apparent that the very thing that instigated the attack in the first place, thus killing his parents, was the boy's very own relative! It was _insane_! _Ludicrous_!

Silence gripped him, his voice caught in his throat in pure outrage, unable to speak. Naruto smiled at his expression. "I mean no offense to you, sensei. I can see that this makes you uncomfortable. Perhaps the Kyuubi pains you in some way?"

Waiting for no response, Naruto placed the forefinger of his right hand to his head. "Here," He inched his hand closer to the chuunin. "Let me relieve you of your pain a little."

Iruka was given little time to react as the young blond's fingertips brushed made contact on the collar of his neck. The world around him rushed forward suddenly, feeling an invisible weight fall away from him.

It felt... good...

* * *

"Naruto...?" An unsure voice called to him from behind.

The Kyuubi container beamed brightly at the address of his name. Despite being a little winded from his small exchange with his teacher, his senses caught the presence of some very familiar individuals who have been tailing him for some time, afraid to approach him until now. He didn't even turn around to acknowledge them as he spoke. "Hinata-chan. Ino-chan. Sakura-chan. It's so nice to see you again."

* * *

A/N

A small glimpse of his bloodline, if you didn't know.

This is also a time-skip. I hope you're not too confused with what happened the previous chapter.

What Toruna had shown the previous chapter was also only a small glimpse and not the entirety of it all. There is more to it.

A clarification on Naruto's clothing: It is the modified set of a traditional Japanese outfit called the _'kamishimo'_, composed of a large sleeveless jacket (kataginu),

**Update on the pairings:**

Girls decided in the Harem so far:

Sakura

Ino

Hinata

TenTen

Temari

Hanabi (made a little older)

And others I will leave as a small surprise.

Girls for debate:

Anko

Ayame

I had nearly forgotten about Ayame. I don't know if she should be more on the sisterly role though I'm still leaning on the harem.

Anko is still in debate. I really can't decide what to do with her.

Reviews are like my life essence... I am slowly dying each day I receive no review...


	10. Been a While

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

**_"Windows to the Soul_****_"_****_  
_**_by Chronos Astral_

**_Chapter 9:_**

**_'Been a While'_**

* * *

The scarred chuunin waited patiently by the Hokage's office, looking quite frightened and nervous, feet shifting uncomfortably as he stood. Outwardly, he looked to be guilty of a crime and in line for execution, which was exactly how he felt inwardly. He had been summoned by the Hokage shortly after what felt like a brief drug trip courtesy of the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki. There were no specifics said of why he had been summoned, only saying that it had something to do with the Uzumaki kid himself. That alone had sent him into a spasm/panic attack. 

Umino Iruka knew he was going to be in really deep shit. _Really_ deep. Around mid-waist level of it... Okay, grotesque thoughts, but as it is, he was still seriously screwed. The chuunin kept playing over the situation at hand in his head, trying to come up with the possible outcomes. '_Did the Hokage find about what happened during class!? Crap! I'm going to be sentenced to death! I'm not ready to die yet!_' He screamed in his head. Indeed there were many things he had yet to do in his life, like reading at least one copy of Icha Icha (out of curiosity, of course, and pressure from his fellow male instructors).

After many calming breathes, he focused his partially controlled thoughts on what the boy had said to him after class. '_Uzumaki said something about his uncle causing the Kyuubi attack... Is it true...?_' Iruka twitched at the though of the Kyuubi. Though why would the boy outright say it was his uncle's fault? Wouldn't that just give more incentive to hate him?

Iruka shook his head of such things. He'd look at this logically and not bias the boy. '_He did some weird jutsu on me afterwards. I can't remember what happened exactly..._' His thoughts were cut off by the appearance of Ebisu, who had cleared his throat to signify his presence.

"Hokage-sama will see you now..." He stated formally, and raised a brow when he saw the scarred chuunin gulp audibly.

Hesitantly, Iruka turned the knob to the door of the office opened it slightly. He peeked his head into the room, seeing the Sandaime Hokage with his back turned, looking over the village through the window. Having already sensed his presence, Sarutobi motioned him to come closer. "Come in, Iruka-san. Take a seat."

Iruka nearly jumped at the mention of his name. He walked over with rigid limbs to a lone chair set in front of the Kage's desk.

The elderly man turned on his seat to regard the obviously nervous chuunin. "Relax, Iruka-san. Though I am fully aware of what happened at your class this morning, you are not guilty of any crime." The Sandaime put on an austere frown, increasing the tension within the room. "Naruto is free to tell whomever he's ready to tell to, but it is still a matter of concern. We are lucky that the other kids his age have no knowledge of the relationship between the jinchuuriki and the bijuu, but it maybe a matter of time before they find out."

The chuunin gave a brief sigh of relief that he was not in any trouble, but he knew there was more to this. "So then why have you summoned me, Hokage-sama?"

For a while, older man closed his eyes in contemplation, making him look much older. After a stifling moment, he spoke up again. "Iruka-san, you are aware of what he told you of the Kyuubi attack?"

Iruka felt hesitant at this. "Y-yes, Hokage-sama. He said that the cause was... was-"

"His uncle, Uzumaki Toruna." The Hokage finished for him, getting an affirmative nod from the man. "Yes, it's true. His uncle had been the main catalyst that drove the Kyuubi here."

Iruka felt a familiar twitch on his eye. His parents were among those that died because of the demon fox. There was a bit of anger boiling within him but he put it out for now. With as much control as he could muster, he tried to calmly ask his question without sounding to enraged. "W-Why'd he do it, Hokage-sama?"

"Honestly, I do not know. Twelve years ago, he admitted his crime but fled soon afterwards. How he managed to temporarily 'control' the Kyuubi in a sense is, as Naruto had already told you, an effect of his bloodline. A bloodline that he has passed on to the boy."

"It sounds dangerous..."

"Only if he cannot control it. Powerful as it maybe, it is not without its repercussions..." He mused, lighting his pipe in preparation for what he knew would be a migraine-inducing explanation. "Which is why he will be needing a bit of your help..."

* * *

"Ahaha! So that's you girls have been up to lately. To think you all wanted to be kunoichi and end up as classmates..." Naruto chuckled good-naturedly as his old friends chronicled the events that led to their studying in the ninja academy. A coincidence, really, that Sakura and Ino had befriended the once unconfident Hinata, three of his most valued friends becoming friends themselves. With a heartfelt smile, he looked them all over through lidded eyes, admiring how they've grown into these strong-willed soon-to-be kunoichi. 

The girls, on the other hand, felt quite confused at how they all knew the boy. It was a strange feeling of nostalgia and irony.

Sakura shook away such thoughts to regard the dining Naruto, who was amazingly pacing through his fourth bowl of Ichiraku miso ramen with the refinement of a gentleman yet the speed of a cheetah on his prey. Such a growth from his once semi-boisterous self was evident in the calmness and serenity he exhumed, even his words and voice sounded so at peace with the world, like there was a sense of balance. And she knew she wasn't the only one who noticed.

As happy as the pinkette was that her second true friend had come back to her, she didn't know what to say. It had been so long since they've met, and so little they knew about each other. The same could be said for her two best friends who kept up a casual conversation of sorts with the blond boy, inwardly seeking a sense of companionship with him. Sakura could tell that they, her included, admired the boy to a great degree, by they way they acted differently in his presence.

Ino had never once let a boy come close to her so openly. Whether it was a consciousness around the opposite sex or simple distrust was never truly known. Now, not only was she having pleasant discourse with one, but she was within close proximity of one as well.

Hinata was a strong-willed if not a very gentle girl with outstanding refinement born from her family's teachings. With that said, it was hard to believe that same girl was fidgeting nervously and was squirming in her seat. Was she tapping her fingers together?

After a few of the initial pleasantries (and at least 6 bowls of ramen later), Sakura decided to voice a question that had been bugging her since the day after meeting him for the first time. She took a deep breath to abate her hesitation. "Where have you been all this time, Naruto?"

The blond stopped the chopsticks halfway towards his mouth. There was a brief silence...

"I've been... training." He continued eating normally, his smile not having vanished or faltered in the slightest.

"Ah... I see..." Though they noted his pause, they thought nothing of it and continued their jovial session. The girls didn't take notice of the blond unconsciously tracing an unsightly scar underneath his kimono.

* * *

"'**_Shinsui Setsuzoku_** (**Spirit Link**)'? I've never heard of such a bloodline." 

"I'm not surprised. It's been a well guarded secret known to only one village, one that has been wiped out years ago. Right now, the only few known to have possession of it are Uzumaki Toruna, Uzumaki Kushina, and Uzumaki Naruto." Sarutobi mused whilst smoking on his favorite pipe.

Iruka was still inquisitive and thus pried further. "What does it do, Hokage-sama?"

"More than you can imagine." The Hokage put up a stone hard look as he elaborated. "The **_Shinsui Setsuzoku_** unlocks a person's inner-being and intertwining it into a link of mind, body, and soul. It breaks away the limitations of the human body and enhances the human mind into infinite bounds. A power even I cannot comprehend completely."

"Its main aspect is to amplify human emotion to the point where his body and mind are connected to his soul, giving him the power to unlock countless abilities an average human cannot attain. Add this to a combination with a ninja's skills, its wielder can easily become a powerful warrior."

"But what does it have to do with human emotion?" Iruka asked.

"As you know, emotion is a powerful force, one that can gain victory over all odds or utterly break a person. I think Morino Ibiki of the Interrogation Division can vouch for me on that." He paused to see Iruka gulping at the mention of the man also known as 'Death-Scars Morino' who was famous for his rather _interesting_ variety of torture methods. The number of times that tears, vomit, blood, and other fluids were spilt by his victims was said to be countless.

They had the buckets to prove it too.

The Sandaime cleared his throat to banish those grueling thoughts and catch the chuunin's attention once more. "One of its more notable traits is the **_Shinsui Kansei _**(**Spirit Sense**) Like the **_Byakugan_**, it senses all things around the person, except into a deeper level to the point where nearly nothing is concealed. It does not sense chakra, but it can see, hear, smell, and feel everything around the person using it, concealed or otherwise, at a depth on par with that of the _**Sharingan**_. It can also be aware of the emotions felt by other people. Whether it be pain, happiness, sadness, or plain apathy. I'm sure you have seen the boy walk around with ease despite not opening his eyes?"

"It also possesses the **_On'you Iki Hinsei_**, another ability unique only to the **_Shinsui Setsuzoku_**. I don't have much information on this except that it creates three individual spirit entities that represent his inner-being."

"As in split personalities?" Iruka inquired with wonder.

"Much more complex than that, I'm afraid. My student, Jiraiya, may know more of the details for I have no further knowledge of what it does exactly. Jiraiya has also told me that the bloodline had a connection with spirits but he has yet to clarify this with me."

Iruka mulled this over quietly, not fully understanding the concept of this bloodline. Sarutobi continued. "As I was saying before, this bloodline is driven by the boy's emotions and thoughts. But because emotions are amplified, it is quite easy to lose control of these powers when under stress and may even sever him mentally without proper emotional balance. He may snap and go mad, berserk even. Add this to the fact that he has access to Kyuubi's strength-"

"The results could be devastating..." Iruka finished for him with a tone of apparent horror and premonition. Sarutobi only nodded sternly. "Hokage-sama! If this is true, we should seal away his bloodline then!"

"I'm afraid that we know of no way to seal his bloodline. Even if we did, we may very well kill him, or worse destroy his very being and leave a hollow shell of himself." Both men winced at the implications of a hollow body with no mind or spirit to guide it. "That is why I need your help, Iruka-san. I ask this as more of a favor to me than it is an order," He stopped a moment to remove his Kage's hat, to ask the chuunin not as the Hokage, but as an old man concerned over his young ward.

"I want you to watch over Naruto, go to him if he is troubled or in need of guidance. You don't need to be with him all the time, just put him on the right track of things. I would do it myself if it weren't for my role as the village head. While the repercussions of Naruto losing control are indeed worrisome, I fear for what it may also do to the boy himself." The man's eyes spoke pleadingly to Iruka, worry and trepidation present in his aged face.

Iruka was hesitant. Taking charge of the Jinchuuriki? Doubt, agitation, uncertainty, and much more tore away at him, making him sweat more as the village head waited for his answer. The boy had Iruka's parents' murderer inside of him! Not just his parents, but thousands of others as well!

But... It wasn't his fault. Iruka understood that. He knew that the boy would need someone to guide him, to be looking out for him.

"I... I understand what you ask of me, Hokage-sama. But why me? Doesn't Naruto have any other relatives, much preferably those who share and have a better knowledge of his bloodline?"

Sarutobi looked downtrodden at this question. "The boy is an orphan, with his father dying at the Kyuubi attack and his mother also coming to the same fate at child birth. His uncle had come to us once, six years ago, and looked after the boy."

"But he..."

* * *

After bidding a heartfelt goodbye to his old friends, Naruto made his way through a thick forestry, expertly weaving through the shrubs and trees along the way. He could sense the buzz of life within the otherwise quiet forest, seeing how the trees swayed silently in the twilight winds, various wildlife scurrying about on their own business, the sounds of his padding feet against the grass. 

It was dark there, but he needed no light. His new _eyes_ _saw_ for him.

He found his way into a familiar grassy clearing, littered with the mesmerizing floating lights of the fireflies of the season. He made his way to a rock, searching its exterior for its hidden seal. He bit his thumb, drawing some of his blood and smeared the crimson liquid onto the seal, illuminating the grassy terrain in a blue hue. A modestly sized, though rather unique looking home hazed into existence from one side of the area. The abode had many curved moon-like designs adorning it, light colors coating its exterior with exotic stones embedded into it. It looked runic, almost symbolic.

The boy smiled at the vision of his home. He couldn't wait to tell his 'Nii-san' of his first day to the academy.

He entered the strange housing, his senses greeted with the feel the smooth carpet floor and plain lavender walls. His furniture consisted of a few soft couches, homely plants for decoration, some desks and doors that led to the bedrooms, bathroom, library, training room, and other places.

"_Tadaima_. (I'm home)" He called across the halls.

Across from him, he had spotted his surrogate older brother. Naruto beamed brighter.

"_Nii-san_." He started calmly with a fond tone. "I had my first day at the academy today. It's almost as boring as you say, but I met my old friends! You know, Hinata-chan, Sakura-chan, and Ino-chan. My sensei seems like a good person. Then after school I met up with my friends at Ichiraku's for ramen! It was so much fun..."

Naruto opened his brilliantly deep, glowing cerulean eyes to better regard the engraved writings on the small stone grave. Crouching, he traced the kanji longingly, his eyes glowing deeper hue at the words written.

'_Uzumaki Toruna_'

"I'll be having my second day at the academy tomorrow. Hope it will be as fun as it was today." He stood and shut his eyes again, relying on his **_Shinsui Kansei_** to see for him once more.

"_Oyasuminasai, Nii-san_..."

* * *

A/N 

I may not update for a while on account of a few matters.

Wrote a new fic called "**I am not Submissive!**" Narutocentric focusing on how Naruto can be a little too nice at times. Harem?

I can't be bothered to write the girls already in the harem as I've already written within previous chapters. Only some have been revealed. The one girl left for debate would be Shizune. (I find her cute, oddly enough)

Drop me a review.


	11. To Prove Oneself

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

**_"Windows to the Soul_****_"_****_  
_**_by Chronos Astral_

**_Chapter 10:_**

**_'To Prove Oneself'_**

* * *

"Alright, next one up... Haruno Sakura."

"_Hai_, _sensei_."

Today was physical examination day. It was a day where student's were to be tested on their prowess in the ninja arts. An inspection on each student's taijutsu and jutsu mastery, as well as their physical health and condition. It was actually supposed to have been yesterday, but Umino Iruka seemed to have been far too distracted with the new student to remember.

Iruka was excited with these examinations for a good number of his students never failed to impress him. It moved him with pride that his own pupils were a gifted bunch that he had the honor of teaching himself.

Up next on the list was the pinkette, Haruno Sakura, who had just passed with somewhat satisfactory taijutsu. It was her strong intent to make up for that with this jutsu test. With a determined face, she stepped up to the small clearing, facing the lone practice log that had been recently used to replace the last one.

It was a simple test: use whatever jutsu in your arsenal to strike at the log. The student will be graded according to his/her level of chakra control, speed of the hand sealing (if any), chakra capacity, and jutsu effectiveness.

Sakura's fingers twitched in anticipation, green eyes rapt with focus, waiting anxiously for her sensei's cue to begin.

"Begin!"

The girl went through the necessary hand seals for her jutsu with perfect precision. To a trained eye, it looked to be the seals for the **_Chakra no Mesu_** (**Chakra Scalpel**), but the final few seals were changed.

With the last seal, she announced her jutsu. "**_Chakra no Yaiba _**(**Chakra Blade**)!"

A glowing intense blue stream of chakra erupted from the base of her forefinger, up to its tip, and extending further a ruler long, taking the form of a short laser like beam blade on the digit.

It was a brilliant little something that Sakura had thought up on one visit to a medic-nin. She had taken the basic principles of the Chakra Scalpel and experimented with it to form an original jutsu of her own; the Chakra Blade. It still needed a bit more adjusting to have it perfected, but it was nonetheless effective during a fight. This was a much more concentrated form of chakra, perfectly capable of cutting through nearly any kind of matter not imbued or made of chakra. Its few drawbacks are that it consumes quite a bit of chakra depending on its size and how many fingers or hands are used, which is why she can only do a smaller form with only one finger. It also takes an exceptional amount of control to use, for without control, it will easily dissipate and one will need to do the hand seals all over again.

After taking a moment to proudly examine the crackling column of energy on her finger, Sakura geared up to attack the target. She jumped at the log, finger extended, and made a clean swipe at its base, followed by another diagonal slash. An impressive display and the results were evident, as the wood separated into small segments, carved cleanly with no dust or residue left.

Iruka and many of her fellow students applauded her efforts. "Very good, Sakura. Your jutsu is as impressive as always. A 100 on your score." The tanned instructor scribbled on his clipboard with a fond smile. "You're tied with Hinata now. Just a little more and you could be Kunoichi of the Year."

Sakura smirked, and dispelled her jutsu, feeling somewhat winded. She was given a congratulatory pat by both Hinata and Ino who walked with her back to the crowd.

Iruka knew that those three would make good kunoichi. He had an eye for that sort of thing. He flipped through the papers for the next student and cleared his throat. "Alright. Next up is..."

As the chuunin's eyes caught up to the name, a lump came upon his throat. "U-Uzumaki Naruto..."

"_Hai_, _sensei_." Said pony-tailed blond walked into the clearing, his gentle smile ever-present with each step he took. There was something odd in the way he strode, making little to no sound at all as his feat padded on the ground. He turned to the log, staring at it through lidded eyes. He looked quite confident with himself, standing tall with the wind blowing against his hair and _kataginu_, making them bellow in response. It gave him a rather dauntless bearing, one that many of the females in the batch noticed.

Iruka took a deep breathe, silently consoling himself. '_Alright, Iruka... Breath... breath... It's only a boy... Not the Kyuubi itself..._'

"Begin!"

No sooner than he had announced those words that an enormous gale erupted from Naruto's mouth, sending a massive upheaval of wind coursing through the clearing, sending hair and clothes flapping. The large air-based projectile that had burst from the blond's mouth rocketed towards the log, made impact, and ultimately shattered it into tiny splinters. The air mass continued its course, going at an angle upwards, and after a few moments of flight, exploded in a shockwave of wind, splitting the very clouds in its wake.

'_... Son of a..._'

It wasn't surprising to note that the chuunin had his mouth hanging open. Majority of the other students had the same expression, and if not, they'd have their eyebrows shot up in surprise and awe.

'_... So powerful... And with no hand seals... That had to be at least B or A rank!_'

"Iruka-sensei." Naruto called out to him.

Still dumbstruck, the scarred chuunin could only gradually will his head to tilt sideways to face the boy, who was still smiling at him with that oddly comforting smile.

"How did I do?" He asked.

Iruka was at a loss for words, so he chose to give him a simple stuttered answer. "O-one h-hundred..."

"Great!" Naruto pumped his fist in the air, grinning victoriously all the while.

Afterwards, he hazed away from sight.

"Wha-!? Naruto!?" Iruka was then pulled from marvel, to confusion, seeing that his new student had vanished in plain sight. "Is this a genjutsu!?"

"Actually, it's a _**Seirei Bunshin**_ (**Spirit Clone**)." Naruto corrected from behind the chuunin, making him jump in alarm. This also surprised his classmates, seeing as they were wide-eyed in confusion. Noticing this, he decided to clarify. "I made a _ **Seirei Bunshin**_ to use _**Fuuton: Renkuudan **_(**Wind Release: Drilling Air Projectile**) on the log. Because it's a spirit clone, it needed no hand seals to do the jutsu."

What the boy just said only left more questions to be asked.

'_This guy..._' A certain raven-haired Uchiha thought to himself, still marveling at the boy's strength. While he had seen potential and strength in a few of the aspiring ninja in the class, this boy could top them all. He could feel it.

This boy. This 'Uzumaki Naruto'. He could be useful.

* * *

Naruto ate his lunch quietly, taking in the various conversations taking place all around him. His class was a noisy bunch, from what he could sense, with the exception of maybe four or five of them. It saddened him to a degree that they didn't have their minds truly set on becoming a ninja or realizing a respectable goal. Though, their innocence and otherwise healthy spirits made most of the a collection of healthy souls, who could possibly achieve better things in other lighter lines of work.

He had noted many interesting things about his class, like how majority of the females were infatuated with the broody Uchiha Sasuke, the most probable candidate for Rookie of the Year. Unfortunate that Naruto himself couldn't become Rookie of the Year considering that he had joined quite late and can't beat the Uchiha's impressive grades within the small span of time between now and the final academy examinations. The only three he sensed that were not interested in the Uchiha were Sakura, Ino, and Hinata, his three good friends. That fact brought a smile to his face.

Another thing worthy of notice was one of his more silent classmates, Aburame Shino. Naruto had sensed the presence of life actually thriving within the stoic boy, confirming it to be a large hive of insects. At first, Naruto was worried, but his worries were lost as he sensed that the Aburame was at no discomfort and found that he had an actual fondness and sense of close companionship with the bugs residing within him.

Inuzuka Kiba was an interesting guy, especially with regards to his canine companion he called Akamaru. He was loud and brash, traits that reminded Naruto of himself in his earlier childhood. He could tell there was a strong connection between him and his dog, as if they'd trust each other with their own lives. Clearly something far above that of a man and his pet, more like that of friends and comrades.

His sensei, Umino Iruka, seemed rather reluctant and a bit agitated around him. Understandable, it would take a while for the chuunin to be comfortable in his presence. With his bloodline, he could speed up that process.

That boy with a rather unique hairstyle, Nara Shikamaru. Naruto was aware of his subtle suspicion ever since his first day in class. The boy had been cautious around him, but was otherwise either to unsure or apathetic to approach him. His 'big-boned' friend, Akamichi Chouji, seemed like a nice guy. Strangely, though, Naruto had noticed that the stout boy was perpetually hungry.

What drew most of his concern was the Uchiha, who drew upon sadness, hate, and apathy. He beheld a fire in his eyes, one of a dark determination. It gripped him, drove him, sustained him, like it was his very essence, his very being. The Uchiha boy dwelled in this darkness, lusting for power, and driven by anger. It was sickening to Naruto, almost pitiful.

But he knew that part of the boy cried out to him, longing for something. Naruto couldn't tell what, but it felt like a desperate desire for something. It seemed so... familiar?

His thoughts were interrupted by the drawing advance of said Uchiha, whom Naruto had noticed had been silently contemplating on whether or not to approach him for quite some time. He was unsure, yet at the same time determined.

Naruto smiled as he stopped eating his onigiri while the raven-haired boy came closer from behind. The blond had decided a long time ago that a constant diet of ramen could not be healthy despite his incredible love for it. It would be best if he didn't ingest the stuff all the time.

"Sasuke-san..." Sasuke nearly jumped at the mention of his name. Had the blond already sensed his presence?

"Uzumaki." Sasuke continued to walk up to him, waiting for Naruto to turn and face him.

Eventually, Naruto did turn around, despite not needing to since he could already regard him with his back to him. He gave a pleasant smile to calm his raven-haired classmate. "Can I help you?"

The pleasantness in the blond's voice abated some of the Uchiha's anxiety. Sasuke had wanted to test the new student's strength, seeing as he had performed a rather impressive display (though he would never admit that he thought it was impressive). If he played his cards right, he might have him teach that jutsu from the exams.

There was something odd about the blond. He had a very calm tranquil air about him, so much that Sasuke himself could feel it just being in his presence. He wasn't sure if the others have noticed, but it was like you could tell he was looking into your very soul without having to actually open his eyes. And the way he dressed and carried himself was like a laidback lord of sorts. And what was up with the whiskers? Were they tattoos?

In any case, it was too late to back out now, it would seem. "Spar with me, Uzumaki."

"Oh?" It would seem that their little exchange was beginning to attract quite a bit of attention, seeing as Naruto could sense the curiosity piquing in many of the other students. After all, it wasn't everyday that the 'stuck-up Uchiha prick', as most of the male batch would call him, would actually 'talk' to anyone much less ask to spar with them, with the 'new kid' no less. Naruto's smile grew wider quite a bit. "Why would you want a spar, Sasuke-san?"

"I just want to." Sasuke gruffly replied. At that moment a small crowd gathered around them.

"Is that so?" The Uchiha's irritation spiked at that point. Naruto noticed that and grinned a little. The crowd around them grew in size. "To what do I owe this honor, Sasuke-san?"

If one had looked closely enough, they would have noticed Sasuke's eye twitch by a margin of a second. He didn't know why, but somehow the Uzumaki was easily getting on his nerves. "You're performance at the examination was... decent," He would _never_ admit that it actually amazed him. "I want to see your full strength and compare it with mine."

"Quite straightforward aren't we?" Naruto commented jokingly, having Sasuke react with another twitch of his eye. The blond finished eating the rest of his lunch and stood up to face his soon-to-be foe. "Alright then. What are your terms?"

"Taijutsu only. Battle goes on until one gives up or is too tired to continue." Sasuke stated simply and promptly went into his offensive stance. The crowd took this as cue to back away and give them space.

"I accept your terms." With that said, Naruto eased his _kataginu_ off his shoulders, neatly folded it, and placed it on the table he had been eating lunch in. He took that moment to survey the curious faces of his schoolmates.

It seemed that many had already set up a betting pool of sorts with the odds a fair even, and the betting going slightly more towards his opponent. An ample amount of his female schoolmates were cheering the raven-haired boy on, though he appeared to be more annoyed with them than enthused. Naruto's closest friends at the academy, Hinata, Sakura, and Ino were watching intently, albeit a bit worriedly at the upcoming match. It warmed his heart, though, that inwardly they were cheering for him.

Umino Iruka went outside to the grounds to gather the students from their lunch break. He spotted the clamoring assembly from afar, and discerned the telltale signs of an imminent fight. Fearful of the consequences and results, he resolved to stop them, but an aged hand firmly gripped him on the shoulder, holding him in place.

"Hokage-sama!?" Iruka exclaimed in surprise upon seeing the wizened face of the old village head, watching over the two young boy's about to engage in combat.

"Let them be, Iruka. This should be an interesting fight." Sarutobi smiled in anticipation. He had been expecting something like this to happen, especially since it did involve Uchiha Sasuke, a boy too proud and too vengeance-driven for his own good. Though his crystal ball had been returned to him, Naruto had somehow eluded his gaze for the majority of the years he had spent training. The **_Toomegane no Jutsu_ **(**Telescope Technique**)was being resisted somehow, every time he tried to observe what Naruto was doing at the time, so he had little knowledge of the boy's skills.

'_Show me what you can do, Uzumaki Naruto..._'

* * *

A/N

I find this chapter short... Meh...

The fight will be written next chapter. Don't expect too much, since I'm not all that good with fight scenes, but I'll do my best to make it entertaining and unique.

For those of you who don't know, the **_Toomegane no Jutsu _**is the jutsu the Hokage uses with his crystal ball to observe all the things happening in his village (you can only imagine the things he could do with that... perverted old coot).

Harem listing is closed. All girls will be revealed as the story goes.

I find the lack of reviews disturbing...


	12. Looked Down Upon

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

**_"Windows to the Soul_****_"_****_  
_**_by Chronos Astral_

**_Chapter 11:_**

**_'Looked Down Upon'_**

* * *

The _**Joushououken ryuu**_ (**Rising Phoenix Fist Style**) was a fighting style exclusive to the _** Sharingan**_-wielding Uchiha. The style relied on the vision-enhancing capabilities of the Sharingan to foretell the opponents next move and effectively dodge or counter it. At the same time, it can also be used to take the initiative by finding a weak point in the opponent's defense and breaking through it with ease. Speed and reflexes were crucial in the utilization of this style in combat, for if the opponent were faster, it would be a near useless endeavor. 

Sasuke, though a user of the **_Joushououken ryuu_**, had yet to awaken his **_Sharingan_**, which made the style's effectiveness drop by a good margin. Still, that didn't stop the determined boy, as he stubbornly got around that disadvantage by forming a hybrid style of sorts, training himself on speed, power, and technique to use it. Effective as it was, it was still flawed, at least until he had awakened the _**Sharingan**_.

Sasuke stood at his offensive stance, his lips twisted into a focused scowl, with his onyx-eyes locked onto his opponent's form.

The Uzumaki boy faced him with sealed eyes, not actually 'looking' at him, but knowing that he was there. He still wore that pleasant smile, as if not at all worried or phased with what was to come. It wasn't out of confidence. It looked more like was just very calm about it.

"I don't need a handicap, Uzumaki," Sasuke said, pointing at the blond's closed eyes.

"I assure you, Sasuke-san, I don't need to open my eyes to see." Naruto replied with conviction and with a cryptic air.

The raven-haired boy shrugged to him a silent 'your loss'. He surveyed his surroundings, noting the clamoring crowd beginning to silence themselves in anticipation (with the exception of his fangirls whose noise he had tuned out for the majority of the time).

"Shall we begin?" The blond asked.

After giving a brief nod, the Uchiha rushed forward with impressive speed, hoping to catch his opponent off-guard, to land a punch to his midsection. To his surprise, the blond had calmly swerved out of the way of his fist. Unrelenting, Sasuke caught himself and delivered a sweeping kick to knock Naruto off balance. The maneuver was fruitless as Naruto lightly hopped over the kick, still beaming disturbingly as he did so. Still crouching, Sasuke delivered another kick upwards to the boy's chest, which was blocked by one of Naruto's palms.

"There's quite a lot of power in your kick there, Sasuke-san." He commented, feeling the impact of the soles of the Uchiha's sandals on his hand.

Sasuke growled in annoyance, and used Naruto's hand as leverage to push himself from him, flipping back into a stance a few feet away. Naruto stood his ground, and went back to his own stance.

He charged once more, this time aiming a hook to the blond's chest. The blond shifted his upper-body to avoid the blow. Sasuke came at him with a relentless barrage of punches, which Naruto retaliated by gradually backing away from him, dodging and blocking as he did so. The fruitless efforts were beginning to grate on the young Uchiha's nerves especially since his blond adversary was still retaining his smile all throughout.

In his impatience, he hastily decided to end it with a crippling blow, one he was sure the blond wouldn't be able to block. He geared up for the attack, but felt his feet go off-balance and tripped.

"Oof!" Sasuke grunted as he landed on his rear, glaring at the offending foot the blond had used to trip him with. "Why won't you attack, Uzumaki?" He demanded, knowing that he was quite vulnerable as he was.

Naruto's smile widened a fraction as he responded politely to the downed boy. "I am just gauging your power at the moment, Sasuke-san. I wouldn't need to attack for that."

This sparked a bit of anger within the Uchiha boy, knowing that he was (in a figurative and literal sense) being looked down upon. He attempted a kick to the blond's stomach, which was expectedly blocked, and he pushed himself away to a safer distance. "Fight back, Uzumaki!" He commanded imposingly but was given no reply. He snarled and charged in recklessly, attempting blow after blow in careless haste and wasted effort.

* * *

Shikamaru watched as the battle waged on in the Uzumaki's favor, with the Uchiha blindly pulling out punches and progressively tiring himself out. Every unsuccessful attack was evidently agitating him more and more. It made his offensive foolhardy and wild. 

'_Which was his plan all along..._' The lazy Nara narrowed his eyes at the smiling whiskered face of Uzumaki Naruto, who had not even broken a sweat from his exertions. '_He has barely even moved from that spot at all. All he's been doing is dodging and blocking blows to get the Uchiha anxious and careless.'_ He observed as the blond flawlessly dodgedthe kick aimed at his face.

'_What I don't understand is how he is able to anticipate each and every attack. Sasuke is, though arrogant, not stupid enough to use an easily spotted pattern of attack and his speed is unmatched by the most of us here, yet Naruto predicts them without any sort of difficulty and counteracts accordingly without so much as lifting an eyelid._' It wasn't far to say that Shikamaru was impressed with the new student's skill. It was also evident in the awed faces of his classmates and the disbelieving looks of the 'Uchiha Sasuke Fanclub'. Shikamaru smirked at that.

He had picked up some of the facets of Naruto's fighting style. The boy would stand his ground always, provoking his opponent to take the initiative. He would never attack, only taking a defensive stand, and once or twice pushing the opponent off his momentum as to avoid an otherwise unavoidable blow. His motions were fluid and quick, never sudden, which represented his state of mind; calm. He was very calm, patient even, as if he were waiting for something.

'_That's it!_'He concluded internally, with his eyebrows shooting up in realization. He was waiting for the opportune moment to-

"Somethin' wrong, Shikamaru?" A voice asked, breaking him from his thoughts.

Shikamaru turned to the plump face of his best friend, Akimichi Chouji, who was eyeing him curiously. "Nothing's wrong."

Chouji nodded, and turned his attention back to the ongoing fight and the bag of chips he was currently enjoying. "That Naruto kid sure is something." He commented whilst chewing on a chip.

Shikamaru grunted an affirmative, vaguely recalling what the Uzumaki had introduced himself as on his first day.

'_Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi no Kitsune_'

"He's something alright..."

* * *

'_Why!?_' Sasuke screamed mentally as he missed once more. '_Why can't I hit him!?_' He was getting tired, as evident on the beads of sweat dripping from his face in stark contrast to his adversary's unphased state. Not only was the blond not in the least bit fatigued, but he had not made any effort to retaliate. It irked him greatly, his teeth clenched in a perpetual snarl. 

"Fight back, damn you!" He seethed, his anger boiling within. It felt unnatural that his emotions were flailing so fast and so uncontrollably, but he didn't care. There was no response. With a strangled cry, he snapped and vigorously upped the ante of his offensive.

There was little improvement. Every twitch of his muscles, every shift of his bones, every sway of his fingers, every heave of his chest, he could have sworn Naruto sensed them all. It was like the blond knew what his brain was telling his body to do before it happened. Every motion was not unseen from the blond's visage.

It was like being lured into a cage and trapped within, unable to escape the gaze of his trapper within its confines.

'_Damnit..._' If this was true, then his efforts would be fruitless in the end.

'_Damnit._' Another attack blocked and ineffective.

'_Damnit!_' He... He was being played like a fool.

'**_Damnit!!!_**' With another fierce cry, he lunged at Naruto with all his strength, anger clouding his better judgment and abandoning all reason.

"DIE!!!"

Many gasped at the raven-haired boy's exclamation. The boy had given himself into his rage, leaving him wide open. Now was the time. The blond veered his head away from the strike and in one swift, fluid motion, launched his fist into Sasuke's stomach.

Sasuke choked at the impact, eyes widening in shock. It wasn't a strong blow of any sort, only enough to knock the wind out of him. But that was just it. His fatigue was catching up to him followed by mental exhaustion from his rampant attack and chaotic state of mind, all shoved into him with one simple punch to his gut.

He crumpled onto the floor, resisting the urge to wretch out his lunch. His body ached all over, a result of his wasteful endeavor. It refused him movement, screaming at him to lie down and rest, but his pride yelled back in defiance, holding him unstably up.

There was a deafening silence all around. All he heard were the sounds of his labored breathing and the buzzing migraine in his head.

'_I... lost...?_' The thought left a bitter taste in his mouth.

It was sickening. Humiliating. Painful.

"It was a good fight." Said a calming voice. Sasuke strained his neck to look up at the smiling blond, Uzumaki Naruto, holding out his hand in offering.

'_What!?... What is this!? Is he mocking me!?_' The Uchiha boy snarled in disgust, narrowing his eyes at the victor of their match. Was it not pitiful enough to have him like this? Did he seek to taunt him even more for his defeat?

With the pent-up anger still battling on in his soul, Sasuke roughly shoved the boy's hand away and barked at him through clenched teeth. "DON'T FUCK WITH ME!!"

For once, Naruto's calm facet dropped to one of surprise and genuine hurt, retracting his hand away from sneering boy. He could feel the utter rage still boiling within him. It was suffocating. Naruto decided to leave the boy be, and attempted to part away without a word.

This was an insult to the Uchiha's onyx eyes, as he the retreating back of Naruto began to fade into something different. Something eerily familiar. Maybe it was the exhaustion or his clouded mind, but what he was seeing now was not his blond, kimono-clad classmate, but a darker figure. A mane of jet-black hair, and cold blood-red eyes replaced the visage of the tranquil blond to one of someone much crueler. None other than the Uchiha prodigy turned murderer, his older brother, Uchiha Itachi.

"_You are not worth my time, Sasuke. You are far too weak._" The image said in spectral similarity to his own brother's voice. It was mocking him, writing him down as weak and unworthy, as it had done before, leaving him to wallow in his own worthlessness and inability to stop him.

There it was. His motivation. His drive. His ambition. His vengeance. His hatred.

"DON'T YOU DARE TURN YOUR BACK ON ME, BASTARD!!"

In a mad rage, Sasuke quickly formed his handseals, ending with _Tora _(Tiger) and announcing his jutsu. "**_Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!! _**(**Fireball Technique**)" He drew in a deep breath, summoning as much chakra as he could and released it into a stream of scalding hot fire erupting from his mouth, surrounding the image of his older brother in flames. He smiled evilly at the sight of his brother's ashes scattering in the wind, the darkness within finally settling.

His smile instantly faded when he his senses caught up with him, making him see the smoldering form of Uzumaki Naruto, vanish into the blazing pyre of his own creation.

At that moment, he felt the hand of his teacher, Umino Iruka, gripping him tightly on his shoulder. "What have you done!?" He screamed, outraged at how one of his own students had just killed another.

"I-I... I didn't..." For once in his life, Sasuke found himself stuttering, speechless, and disgusted with himself. There was an abnormal spike in his emotions, which he was sure was the reason for his loss of control. But he normally had better control of his emotions than that. How could he have been so easily angered?

The crowd looked on in despair at the flames their blond classmate had disappeared into. They may not have known him for too long, but they didn't think that anyone so young deserved to die like that before they even became a ninja, especially one that was obviously skilled and had the potential to be a good ninja.

Hinata, Ino, and Sakura, watched in horror at the sight, their hearts wrenching as the embers burned ominously at the place where their friend once was.

"Calm yourselves." The wizened voice of the aged Sandaime Hokage called to them all, approaching the chuunin and Uchiha in an even pace.

"H-Hokage-sama! H-He just-!"

"I'm well aware of what Sasuke had just attempted." The Hokage stated sternly, keeping a critical eye on Sasuke. "But I believe that Naruto is safe..." He continued as he pointed towards the fire.

The flames slowly receded in their scorching fury, revealing the charred earth beneath yet no sign of the blond anywhere. All beheld the sight with amazement and yet unabashed relief.

Iruka inspected the aftermath of the powerful jutsu, confirming no bodily remains of any sort to signify any injury inflicted. There was no trace of Naruto there. "H-How did he-?"

"**_Kawarimi no jutsu _** (Substitution/Change of Body Stance technique), it would seem, though as it appears what he substituted himself with has been seared into oblivion." The Hokage explained, noting the clumps of charred dust. He turned to Iruka, who was comforted to know that his student had not met an untimely demise. "I expect Sasuke to be given proper punishment for the attempted murder of his own classmate."

"H-hai, Hokage-sama." Iruka nodded obediently, giving the young Uchiha's shoulder a firmer grip. "But what of Naruto?"

Sarutobi pondered on this a moment, seeing as the boy had not revealed himself to them after having successfully avoided Sasuke's jutsu. "I think that young Naruto wants to be alone right now."

"I see..." Iruka stood and cleared his throat to address his students. "Everyone go back to the classroom. Mizuki will take over the teaching for now. I'll be talking to Sasuke here." Some students groaned in defiance, but were silenced by the chuunin's hard glare. They quietly dispersed and retreated into the academy building, still shaken by the day's events.

Iruka sighed tiredly and addressed Sasuke. "Come, Sasuke. We need to talk." The boy was rooted to the spot, unresponding as if not hearing. Iruka nudged him. "Sasuke, are you okay?"

There was an utterly terrified look in the Uchiha's eyes. He was shaking, aghast of something. Teeth clenched and sweat dripping, unable to move at all.

"What's wrong Sasuke?"

* * *

He could feel it. He didn't know how but he could just _feel it_. The anger directed at him, practically burning him from within. It was so intense, so powerful, so _inhuman_! 

Sasuke didn't see them. He didn't need to. The pale blue eyes boring into him from afar, glaring at his very soul. Those eyes were hurt, betrayed, much like his own once before, but far worse. It was directed at him, at his being and existence. It was so painful and so terrifying, like those eyes would pull you into an infinite void of darkness. It drove him mad within, making him relive the painful stare of his brother when he left him among the bloody corpses of his family.

Uzumaki Naruto was still here. He didn't where, but he was here, hawking at Sasuke like he was the scorn of the earth.

Sasuke couldn't hold it in any longer, the shaking of his teacher not helping him.

He vomited.

* * *

The Hokage felt the fleeting familiar signature draw away from the scene, assuming him to be Naruto who was hiding in the trees. It was intriguing to note that the boy had hidden his presence well, and that the moment he was gone, Sasuke had unsightly retched his bowels clean. Poor Iruka would need to wash his chuunin vest after that. 

The aged village head approached the foliage the blond Jinchuuriki had hidden himself in previously. Something in particular caught his observant eye.

'_A feather?_'

Upon closer analysis he came upon a trail of feathers littered across the soil and out into the same direction Naruto had fled to. He found this odd, considering that it was unlike any feather he's seen before and no birds should be near that vicinity. Fascinated, he picked one up, eyeing it critically. The feather was a deep pitch black, with an almost dark violet hue. While beautiful to behold from afar, up close, one could feel an unnatural sense of chaos coming from within its raven bristles. It felt painful and grody to just hold it. Strife, discord, anguish, rage, hints of these practically emanated from the plummage.

A few moments later, the feather brittled away and rose into the air like ashes. The same happened to the other feathers cluttered on the ground, leaving no trace of their existence.

'_What was that?_'

* * *

A/N 

Done. Woo. Leave review.

I think I heard about the Rising Phoenix Fist Style somewhere. They said it was the Uchiha's personal style, though I'm not too sure. I take no credit for the style, but I made the Japanese translation of it myself.

Check out my other two fics if you haven't seen them yet.

**"Something About Naruto"  
-**Everyone falls in love with Naruto, regardless of gender. (With a few exceptions)

**"I am not Submissive!"  
**-Small humor-ish fic of how Naruto can be too nice sometimes. Possible harem.


	13. A Friend in Need

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

**_"Windows to the Soul_****_"_****_  
_**_by Chronos Astral_

**_Chapter 12:_**

**_'A Friend in Need'_**

* * *

The day before was a sobering day for the academy students, an event that held a sense of foreboding for what was to come in the future of their aspired profession, a small glimpse of the shinobi world. The act of killing and the risk of being killed. Both taxing in a physical and mental sense. But again, as explained on the first day of any child attending the academy and repetitively mentioned in its textbooks, it is the shinobi way; kill or be killed. As simple as that. Many would think little of this fact, brushing it off as a customary warning, but since yesterday, witnessing one student's attempted murder of another, it made one think in retrospect: Would they really be willing and ready to take a life as well as risk their own? The shinobi life was cruel, unforgiving, and it is rarely truly rewarding.

It was through this small realization that Iruka wasn't surprised at the small depopulation of his classroom. A good dozen or so of his students were absent and he didn't expect them to be back anytime soon. In fact, he supposed that he would be receiving formal letters or visits from their parents, informing him that they were pulling them out of the academy.

The chuunin frowned at this, for while it was credibly a good course of action, it only meant that a good number of them had not taken the dangers of ninja lifestyle to heart and would have more than likely come to a worse end in the future if they were ever accepted as a shinobi. This also meant the shortening of potential genin, but at least the ones he had seen most potential in had not wavered in their decision in aspiring for the rank of genin.

The other good side to the whole thing was that the member populace of the 'Uchiha Sasuke Fanclub' was reduced by a great margin, either from the lost respect of the boy for his actions or the shattered image of their knight in shining armor. Though it also spurred the birth of a new and much more secretive faction, namely the unofficial 'Uzumaki Naruto Fanclub', whose members had taken a subtler approach of admiring the regal blond from afar instead of outright clamoring over him like a pack of adolescent hyenas as done with the Uchiha (Some girls just never learn). As usual, the only females not participating in the foolishness of it all were the talented 'Kunoichi Trio'; Hinata, Ino, and Sakura. It's not like they needed to, though. They were already close friends with the blond in question.

What worried Iruka as of now were the two of the most promising students of his class, namely Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke. It was safe to say that the two may not get along very well in the coming days, understandably so. Iruka would have felt the same way if he was a hair's width away from third-degree burns, courtesy of his own classmate. What intrigued him since the start of the day was that Naruto looked to have little qualms over what had transpired the day before as there was little change to his mannerism or general mood; bright, cheerful, and calm. As opposed to the constant brooder. Sasuke didn't seem like his normal stoic self, evident in his restlessness within close proximity of the blond boy. Since the chuunin did reprimand Sasuke by dropping his grades enough to make sure that his chances of being 'Rookie of the Year' were reduced to nil, Iruka thought that Sasuke blamed Naruto for it. That was until he clearly saw it in the raven-haired boy's eyes.

Sasuke was afraid, Iruka could tell, but as to why he would be afraid of Naruto, he wasn't too sure.

* * *

Ah, Fear. A distinct feel, smell, even taste, fear, noticed by many an experienced shinobi, or in this case, those of the Uzumaki blood. To Naruto, it was as plain as day: Sasuke feared him. Not entirely, but in a sense, a fear bred from reverence, respect, and a hint of guilt. It was easy to pick these out from the boy even without his bloodline, for his very presence made the Uchiha nervous or unresponsive, torn between recognition and denial of his classmate's strength and his obvious need to apologize.

Naruto didn't put this against the boy. In truth, he had suspected something like this to happen, albeit to a lesser extent. The blond had clearly underestimated the scars that his fellow classmate bore. He had known that Sasuke was emotionally unstable, but not to this degree. So when he had seen the rapid hand-seals formed by Sasuke, followed by the raging inferno that was conjured in its wake, Naruto was shocked, hurt, and most of all, angered. The last Uchiha loyal to Konoha had just tried to kill him behind his back, a notion brought on by the rage Naruto himself drew out of him, yet it angered him all the same.

Naruto had used a certain technique on him after his 'near-death', fashioned from the powers of his bloodline, and infused with his killing intent. It was strong and at the same time compressed enough to focus on one target. A flare of emotion, drawn from Naruto's own anger, and empowered into a glare that made the Uchiha gag on his knees.

He knew that he should not have done that though, and thus made him just as guilty. After all, his bloodline, coupled with his immense chakra, made his surroundings an amplifier of sorts that can easily control or entice emotions from anyone in his presence, explaining how the breaking of the Uchiha's somewhat unstable control of his mental state was made so easy and how anyone near him felt calm and relaxed whenever he felt the same.

All in all, it was just as much his fault as it was Sasuke's. Thus, Naruto sought to patch it up with his raven-haired classmate and hope that if they ever have to work together, it would be as friends.

* * *

Recess rolled by quickly enough, and students immediately went to their own activities, namely whatever it is a pre-teen does. As usual, Uchiha Sasuke could be found brooding in the corner, only this time seemingly agitated.

"Girls," Naruto addressed his friends, Hinata, Sakura, and Ino. "Is Sasuke-san really like that?" He pointed out said classmate.

"Pretty much." Ino commented, batting an eye in said boy's direction. She never thought much of the Uchiha, especially after yesterday's events. It took nearly all she had to restrain herself from tearing his throat out at what he was trying to do. "He's a little off today, though."

"I see..." Naruto mused and thought it over. With a nod of resolve, he excused himself from his friends and began his trek to Sasuke's table. Eyes were upon him as they noted his destination, and the atmosphere tensed.

"Sasuke-san."

Sasuke nearly jumped at the call of his name from a voice he didn't want to hear. Hesitantly, he turned his head to face his addresser, a blond boy dressed in a formal hakama and gi, seeing as his old clothes were scorched in the fire jutsu directed at him. Sasuke winced at the memory, yet responded with as much apathy as he could. "... Uzumaki."

Naruto smiled lightly at both Sasuke's hesitation and near-noticeable agitation. When Sasuke felt uncomfortable with his smile, it only widened. "You don't have to be so nervous around me, Sasuke-san."

Agitation was replaced with irritation followed with the narrowing of eyes. "Who said I was nervous?"

The blond leaned in to move his head closer, invading the other boy's space. Sasuke, in turn, leaned back, sweating a little. Naruto grinned at his antics. "I think you've pretty much shown everyone that you're nervous." He motioned to the once again growing crowd watching in interest.

"What do you want?" Demanded Sasuke, growing increasingly uncomfortable with each passing second.

"Forgiveness." Naruto stated simply.

Sasuke raised a brow at this. "You don't have to apologize for anything."

"Not like that," A familiar gesture of offering was put in front of the Uchiha boy, an open hand that was awaiting his acceptance. "You don't have to be afraid. We can be friends you know?"

"I'm not afraid of you," He defiantly turned his scowling head away in denial. "And I don't need any friends."

"Oh, yes you do," Naruto persisted with a playful grin. A spike of vexation could be felt from Sasuke, but a small amount of fear still clung to him. "You need them all too much..." Naruto's brilliant cerulean eyes bore into Sasuke's own onyx black. A link was established.

* * *

Those eyes...

They were speaking to him. Somehow.

There were no words, but they were telling him something. It calmed him, letting him think with a clarity he couldn't fathom. It was unlike the ones that had glared at him before; the eyes that he feared. These eyes were soothing, ethereal, like a mother's loving hug.

His mother... somehow those eyes knew. They knew what happened to his family, or rather, how lonely he was without them. They could see his sorrow, his fear, his anger, and his loneliness. These were all hidden in a mask of hate and contempt, but those eyes saw through it all. A spotter of his own emotions.

And they... they were telling him it was alright. It was all alright. What was alright? They didn't say. Did they pity him? No. It was... respect? Compassion?

Let go? Was it telling him to let go? Why? It was all he had left to live for. His hate was the only thing that sustained him and it drove him to be stronger. Why should he let go? After all this time...

Understanding? They understood his pain. They knew what it felt like. But how?

Acceptance. He knew he wanted it, but he denied it. It was a hindrance to him in his goal of revenge. Or so he convinced himself. But to be accepted...

_Give it a try._

'Give it a try'? Did the eyes tell him that? Or... was it his own voice?

"You don't need to be alone. Having friends can be fun." The voice of the blond rung in Sasuke's head once more, cutting him away from the trance-like state he had been in. The Uzumaki still had one arm outstretched before him, expecting his own hand to meet his, and his smile still present.

Friends... It felt so foreign... And yet, so familiar...

_What do you have to lose?_ It said again.

Hesitantly, his hand met the blond's in a firm handshake, and the clarity returned twofold. Somehow, in that brief contact, through all his doubt and through all his denial, his true voice spoke for him. "Thanks..." He whispered demurely and soft enough for people to barely hear, so much unlike his mask, and similar to the lonely boy within. "And... I..."

"Apology accepted." Naruto smiled brightly once more, in true genuine pride and happiness. Sasuke may not have let go of the hate just yet, but the blond had established a bond, and that could be enough to save him.

Naruto saw little fear and contempt now, but a great deal of respect.

And the crowd was struck in awe. Someone had actually gotten through to the Uchiha. Either it was a sign of the forthcoming apocalypse or Naruto was just that good. Many checked for any airborne pigs and falling fragments of the sky just to be sure.

"Who is this guy?" Inuzuka Kiba speculated loudly. Akamaru lifted its small shoulders up from atop the canine boy's as if in a shrug of uncertainty.

Aburame Shino was willing to silently contemplate the same question. Who was this Uzumaki Naruto? Where did he come from? And why is it that his _kikaichu_ were at times afraid to approach him and at other times reluctant to stay away? Like they were both enamored and fearful of the boy.

Nara Shikamaru felt equally suspicious. Akimichi Chouji continued his trademark chip-munching.

The least surprised of them all were apparently Naruto's friends, a sign evident in their beaming faces for his actions. "Naruto's just too nice sometimes..." Sakura mused.

"But that is one of his strong points..." Hinata admitted with a small blush.

Those of his fanclub were inclined to agree with that statement. In the fantasies of their hearts, they envisioned the forgiving blond knight who had befriended and redeemed the fallen dark prince of his sins.

* * *

And thus as the days waned on, little by little, the once aloof Uchiha had warmed up to the amiable Uzumaki, earning a spot as one of his most trusted friends. He was gradually accepted into Naruto's small circle, with the girls a little hesitant in welcoming him, but in time, was an important part of their group. Sasuke found peace in Naruto's presence, constantly drawn to the calming aura that shrouded him, a welcome feeling that filled a little of the void he felt inside.

The Uchiha had learned to respect the blond, almost going as far as revering him, yet at the same time, feeling a touch of envy at his strength. He was always found at Naruto's side, like an escort of sorts, which to some degree was true as whoever approached Naruto would be probed by Sasuke's scrutinizing eyes, as if ascertaining a threat. In their spars, he was taught a small bit of patience and control. He still kept some of his Uchiha pride, but rarely ever displayed it openly before Naruto.

Just a few weeks before the final examination, Uchiha Sasuke sat beneath a shaded tree, winded and sweating, keeping himself upright with both arms planted on the ground. Scattered in the grounds before him in a state similar to his were his few friends. Sakura had laid flat on the grass, panting before a thoroughly diced rock. Hinata and Ino were supporting themselves on a stump, battered and minorly injured after their spar. Naruto, however, who they suspected had the ungodly stamina of at least 50 horses, still kept at his practiced katas, letting his white gi hang off his torso and onto his legs, revealing his black sleeveless shirt underneath.

It was times like these that Sasuke knew well to respect his blond friend. Not just for his strength, but his sheer will and perseverance in body and character. The boy had taken it upon himself to fill the emptiness left by the death of Sasuke's family, acting like his own surrogate brother.

In the first few spars the two had, he had spoken ill of Naruto right in his face, both out of his anger and damaged pride for each blow that pegged him down and each assault that was turned over against his favor. The blond shrugged each off with a smile, a light brotherly scolding, a warm laugh, and pat on the back. Sasuke's affronts grew lesser each day from that point.

"Naruto." Sasuke called out after catching his breathe. Honestly, the guy's sparring sessions were inhumanely tiring, and yet Naruto would always have some energy left afterwards. He wouldn't be surprised if Naruto could run a full marathon through all the countries _twice _(Though he obviously hasn't met Maito Gai). "How old are you?"

Naruto didn't stop from his katas as he continued mentally counting each strike at the air while responding. "I'm 13 years old."

"Hm. You're about a year older than I am?" Sasuke sounded a bit surprised and yet, almost happy.

"Yes, I think so. Why?"

"Nothing..." Sasuke hung his head low to hide the small smile creeping up to his lips.

_Nothing at all... Aniki..._

* * *

A/N

Trying to make Sasuke a little nicer in this fic. He's going to treat Naruto a helluva lot more respect. I'm gonna make that work somehow.

**No, there will _not_ be any yaoi no matter how it might seem like it in this chapter.**

Aniki translates to 'older brother', which relates a little closer to how yakuza refer their leaders to, and not in exact context to a brotherly relationship. Though it is somewhat symbolic to how Naruto has, in a way, replaced Itachi's position of older brother, even though he's barely a year older. I'm also aware that Naruto graduates the academy at 12 but please bare with me.

Leave a review.

Also, check out my other fics:

_**- "I am not Submissive!"**_  
Naruto was a nice guy. A little too nice, at times, for his own good. So then how will he take being the living teddy bear of the girls of his life?

_**- "Something About Naruto"**_  
The powers from above have granted Naruto a blessing. One that ensured that he would be loved by those around him. They messed up though and now Naruto must endure the love and affection of everyone[Naruto x Lots of Girls and Guys [No actual Yaoi!

_**- "The Dreamer"**_  
Naruto sought companionship, affection that he wished to last him a lifetime. Through an otherworldly meeting, and a mystical gift, Naruto was given the chance to obtain love by wandering the Land of Dreams. [Possible Harem


	14. To Realize

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

_**"Windows to the Soul"  
**__by Chronos Astral_

_**Chapter 14:**_

_**'To Realize'**_

* * *

…

…

…

… _Where…?_

His eyes opened, revealing before him a towering steel cage that looked strong enough to hold the biggest of monsters. Beyond its bars were a damp floor covered in a haze of never-ending darkness. Looking around, the same darkness threatened to envelop him as well. The vastness of the ethereal chamber itself made it hard to know if he was looking into the cage or was in fact inside of it.

"_We meet again…_" A dark monotone voice echoed from the other side of the bars. The silhouette of an approaching figure came forth from the darkness, its shadowed outline making up the form of a human child no older than thirteen. The form stopped just within the edge of the shadows, arms crossed, giving little illumination its features. Its most pronounced trait was its eyes that held pools of empty grey, set into a narrow, cold, and unblinking glare towards him. One could barely see its lips pressed into a tight scowl of wry apathy. What surprised him most was that the mysterious visitor had to be at least ten times smaller than he was.

_Meet… Again?_

For some reason, upon hearing the voice of the stranger, he found himself giving off a deep guttural growl, one that was far too animalistic for any human to make. He did it against his will, or rather, not of his own will at all. His body reacted as if it were naturally unliking, detesting even, of this being that had come before him.

Another shroud of a person came forth from the depths of blackness, looking almost eerily similar to the first one in shape and form. Its few distinct differences were that it seemed to have its hands clasped in front of it while its eyes were a calm soothing dark-green that looked to him with an empathetic gaze. It spoke warmly, with a voice that held kindness to its character and genuine compassion. "_I apologize if this makes you uncomfortable. I'd have sincerely wished there was another way,_" It bowed, both out of respect and apology.

Oddly, he had responded snidely back at the remark with an intimidating tone that could not be imitated by mortal tongue. "_**If you're that apologetic about it, release me then…**_" It was a voice he did not recognize, a voice, he was sure, was not his own.

Another voice penetrated through the darkness, this one much more subdued, raspy, and had a certain accentuated moroseness to it. It spoke strangely, pausing and stressing words at unusual and needless points. "_S_u_c_h _a s-s…sad mi_ser_able cr_e_a…t_ur_e. O-nce… so g_rea_t now s-so po_wer_less-s-s…_" The speaker seemed to shuffle soundlessly to the left of the first interloper. Its figure was hunched over, arms dangling downwards lifelessly, head facing weakly towards the cage, and glowing sorrowful eyes of fuchsia staring at the prisoner in haunting scrutiny.

Once again, his reaction was not of his own will as he snarled at the three, baring his great canines at them. With a massive stomp of his dark red paw he bellowed. "_**Don't you mock me, whelp!! I'll kill you where you stand!!**_"

"_T_r_y… _i_t _c_-crea_tu_re…"_ The third one taunted, eyes flickering strangely with those words.

He did not know what came over him as he let out a tremendous soul-shaking roar and pounced at the bars, claws outstretched, intent on decimating the existence of the three strangers before him. Despite his impressive might, the bars held strong without so much as a scratch or dent, but he continued to claw at them in a rage-driven fervor whilst snapping his jaws in an attempt to faze them.

_When did I have claws? Or this much teeth?_

"_Calm yourself_." The middle one with grey eyes spoke again in an icy tone. With a gesture of its hands, a shockwave of pure force enveloped the cage, knocking the prisoner onto his back.

Amazingly, he did not feel the pain or disorientation of the impact, even as his body reacted to it.

_I didn't feel anything… Is this just a dream? _

Without him knowing, his body had set itself upright on all fours once more, gritting its many fangs as a sign of pure rage. "_**What are you?**_" He asked, or rather, the body of his host asked.

There was a pregnant pause, no one moving or flinching in the slightest.

Then, the middle one spoke with a puzzling finality. "_You will know soon enough, Kyuubi._"

…

…

…

Naruto's brilliant cerulean eyes fluttered open, the sight of his white bedroom ceiling greeting him from his bed. Confused for a moment, the boy held out his hand, noticing how it was no longer the dark red paw that he had possessed in his dream. Underneath his sheets was the same thirteen year old body he owned.

Naruto sighed, stroking his face and hair so as to confirm that this was no longer a dream.

Today, he was planning to have his friends get together for some training. Final examinations were fast approaching after all and it wouldn't do for even one of them to fail.

But even then, the memory of the demon fox's question came back.

'_**What are you?'**_

'What' indeed. Those three strangers… Somehow, in the pit of his soul, Naruto had the eerie feeling that they were closer than they appeared…

* * *

The next two weeks were going to be trying; Hyuuga Hinata was sure of that. After all, it was at the end of those two weeks that the final examinations would commence, and as the Hyuuga heiress, it was a cause of concern, since its results would dictate her future as a kunoichi. It wasn't just her heritage and family's reputation on the line; her friends and family were also counting on her to pass: Ino, Sakura, Hanabi-chan, _Otou-sama_ (even if he said it was for the sake of the clan), Sasuke-san, and…

The dark-blue-haired girl let a wistful sigh escape her delicate lips as she gazed out of her bedroom window. Even after spending all this time with him, Hinata still didn't know what to make of the one blond that had changed her outlook of herself and thus, turning her life around for the better. She acknowledged that she admired him a great deal, not only for what he did for her in the past, but for the insurmountable strength and maturity that he constantly displayed. She also enjoyed his unique charm and personality, not to mention his handsome features, heart-melting smile, and developed body.

Hinata stifled a blush at the train of thought. She had to admit, the boy in question did have some very enticing muscles underneath his concealing gi even at his age, a somewhat pleasant fact that she, Ino, and Sakura have borne witness to the moment he had taken said apparel off his person. As inappropriate as it was, she couldn't help but have her eyes linger on his form a little longer than they should.

Those thoughts aside, there was one thing that bothered Hinata the most since their fateful reunion: Uzumaki Naruto was an enigma.

So puzzling were his mannerisms, so mysterious was his smile, so unfathomable were his very eyes that yet lay sealed away from her. She wished to know more, more about the perplexity that was her blond pillar of strength. She yearned to learn of his strengths, his weaknesses, his hopes, and his dreams, to understand his drive and his will.

These desires burned deeply in her heart, that, she knew, but why? Why did it feel so important for her to know? Was it just to repay his kindness from years ago, or was it something… else? There was a great longing there, a longing to do… _something_, a sort of pulling or tugging feeling that would always surface whenever he was around and whenever she thought of him. It was something she could not grasp. It felt so simple, and yet, so confusing, like she knew what it was but…

Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on her door. "_Ane-ue_…" The muffled voice of a younger girl beckoned to her from the other side.

"Come in, Hanabi-chan," Hinata smiled as the door opened to reveal the small form of her little 10-year-old sister, Hyuuga Hanabi. She was a girl of very petite frame, an expected build for one so young, yet a little taller than most her age with a lithe and slender form achieved through constant training. Her hair was a long dark-brown, much like her cousin, Neji's, with the trademark white eyes of the Hyuuga and pale delicate skin. The Hyuuga kunoichi garbs, a dark shirt with a netted collar accompanied by a pair of dark kunoichi pants, hung loosely on her thin body. Her face and posture was that of a trained regality that showed her noble upbringing, but in her eyes were the softness and innocence of a child. Notably, wrapped around her wrist was a thick black thread that held a distinct yellow stone that glittered in the light of the sun.

"_Ane-ue_, aren't you supposed to be training for the exams?" The younger Hyuuga queried innocently with a hint of respect.

"Hmm… Yes I suppose I should be…" Hinata looked contemplative once more, putting a finger to her lips in thought.

Hanabi worriedly approached her older sister. "What's wrong, _ane-ue_?"

"It's nothing…" Hinata dismissed her sister's worries with a pleasant smile which only served to make her worry even more.

Another knock on the door alerted the two siblings, followed by another voice, the voice of one of the servants. "Hinata-sama,"

"You may come in." She said with formality and gentleness.

The servant complied, entering the room and gave the two Hyuuga heiresses a deep bow. "There is a visitor waiting for you in the garden: One Uzumaki Naruto." It was by luck that this particular servant was the one to have greeted Naruto when he visited the compound, for this one held no contempt over the Jinchuuriki's condition and also deeply respected the kindness that both Hinata and Hanabi showed to many of the Branch House members.

Hinata smiled while Hanabi had a strange twinkle in her eyes. "Thank you. Please tell him that I'll be with him shortly."

"Right away," There was a slight upturn of the servant's lips as he bowed once more and left to inform the blond boy before any of the less lenient Hyuuga's discover him.

Hinata turned to face her bedroom window a few more moments before addressing her younger sibling. "Shall we g-?"

Hanabi was already out the door.

* * *

Naruto grew to enjoy the visual quality of the Hyuuga gardens. Being an unwelcome guest in the home of the noble clan, he would often be snuck into the compound and onto the garden grounds for him to hide in every time he wanted to meet with Hinata. He was a little surprised the first time he visited when the servant that initially politely rejected him from entering the Main House had proposed to smuggle him into the lush greenery and have him wait there as he fetched the girl. Naruto had to smile and be thankful of the servant's good nature.

As he took in the vast decorative garden of the Hyuuga home, he couldn't help but be reminded of the flora of his own home. Though his was more natural, the garden nonetheless radiated with such tranquility made more blissful by the billowing of the wind.

Rapid footsteps in the grass alerted him of a presence approaching from behind. Excited breathes, a hurried beating of heart, followed with a rush of elation in a pool of innocence, all encompassed into one big smile.

"Naruto-sama!"

Naruto smiled as he sensed Hanabi rushing towards him from across the garden, laughing with ecstatic glee at the sight of him. Hinata followed in a more sedate pace, wearing her usual attire.

He turned about and spread his arms out in welcoming of the growing girl. The younger Hyuuga literally planted herself against him, arms encircling into a fierce hug around his back. "You're back, Naruto-sama!" She laughed in childish giddiness as if not having seen him in a long time. When it came to Naruto, keeping the image of a noble's daughter was the last thing on her mind. She'd let herself free from the burden of maintaining her image in favor of acting how she truly felt.

Naruto hugged her back, a playful smile donned on his features. "It's nice to see you again, Hanabi-chan." He rubbed her head affectionately which she responded with an amused giggle.

Hinata approached the duo, a tad uncomfortable having her sister snuggled up so close to the boy, but nonetheless grateful of his presence. "_Ohayo_, Naruto-kun,"

"_Ohayo_, Hinata-chan," He greeted back with a dazzling smile that always made both girls' hearts dance.

Stifling a blush that threatened to rise, she composed herself. "What brings you here, Naruto-kun?"

"I wanted to invite you over for some training. It's almost the exams after all and, despite my total confidence in you passing, I'd like to at least have ourselves improve on a few things before then,"

Again, Hinata was flustered. To know that he had confidence in her own abilities made her fluttery inside. Nearly stuttering, she replied. "I-I will go. Thank you."

"What about me, Naruto-sama?" Hanabi pouted cutely at him, not wanting to be left out.

"Hanabi-chan, you might get hurt," The elder Hyuuga warned in genuine concern.

Hanabi puffed her cheeks in defiance. "I'm not little anymore, _ane-ue_."

Naruto laughed amusedly, ruffling the littler girl's hair. "Of course you can come, Hanabi-chan. The training would benefit you as well, I'm sure,"

The little Hyuuga cheered with a new-found vigor, hugging the older boy tighter than before. Hinata was apprehensive of his decision but was heartened with a warm and reassuring smile from Naruto. The tugging feeling came at her in full force once more as she saw the tenderness from his upturned lips, melding ever-so-perfectly with his handsome features. Her face reddened to various degrees as she was torn between feeling confused, excited, and anxious. She settled for all three.

"U-um…" She'd gone back to stuttering, a habit she could have sworn she had broken years before.

Having a gift of near-omniscience, not to mention the ability to sense emotions, Naruto had caught onto his friend's uneasiness. "Something wrong, Hinata-chan? You seem nervous,"

"A-ah? Well um… Y-you see…" The flustered girl began tapping her fingers together, another bad habit that had resurfaced once more. She looked from left to right, trying her hardest to hide her immense blush yet failing utterly as Naruto only inched closer. "Y-you know…" She started, the tugging at her soul starting to pour out through her words. "I-I haven't properly thanked you for what you did for me back then when we were kids,"

Naruto pondered on the memory. "No, actually, I think you did thank me, with a hug, remember?"

"O-oh yes, I did do that," Fighting back an even bigger redness to her cheeks, she pushed on. "But I never realized how much it changed me and how much it helped me to be who I am today. I-if it wasn't for you, I might still just be as unconfident as I was back then, and I would never have earned the respect of my father or find the strength to fight,"

Naruto sensed warmth within her, a passionate resolve intertwined with an unending gratitude that seemed to fill her inside. He listened on in wonder to the girl that had once been so timid and now was so resolute with herself (albeit just a little timid at times).

In wide-eyed amazement, Hanabi watched her sister as well as she narrated the welling emotions in her heart.

"I feel that I am indebted to you, Naruto-kun, but I am not friends with you just because of what you've done for me. It's because I admire who you are that I want to be close to you. But again, I'd like to express my sincerest gratitude to you."

Hinata gave a sharp unhesitant bow before him. "Thank you so much, Naruto-kun…"

Naruto stood speechless, seeing how the girl had just genuinely poured her emotions, exposing a great part of her own soul before him, just for him. To be respected, revered, and admired to this degree, it made him feel important, a feeling that he had rarely ever felt. With a touched smile, he reached out with his fingers to gently cup her chin. She squeaked in slight surprise at the contact, but couldn't will herself to move away from his delicate touch. He moved her face up, allowing her to stand up straight once more and in one swift motion, he pulled her against him into a gentle hug.

The white-eyed girl gasped, surprised and dumbstruck at his reaction. The feel of his closeness and warmth had her nearly hyperventilating, not to mention the faint outline of his muscles molding together with her own body. The skin of the side of his face and neck brushed against hers with his warm breath tickling at her ears.

"It's you I should be thanking Hinata…" The way he spoke to her was different now; almost tempting and enticing in a way, yet still so gentle and warm, and the way his voice crept into her ears made her shiver in repressed excitement. She had been close to panting, her emotions raging so fiercely and chaotically that her mind had almost shut-down. "Both you and Hanabi…" His hands encircled her back, tenderly gliding up her spine. Hinata felt that if he didn't stop doing that she might either just faint or do something… _inappropriate_. She felt one of his hands wander over to her neckline, his fingers brushing the prized yellow stone hanging off her necklace.

"You've given me something far greater than what I've done for you," Hinata listened intently in flushed silence as the boy opened himself up to her, despite the unneeded (though admittedly nice) closeness.

In an amazing feat of will, she had found the voice to speak in a tone that was torn from being scared and excited with his answer. "W-what have I ever done for you, N-Naruto-kun?"

"You became my friend, Hinata. To me…" His voice changed suddenly, turning into an entrancing and hypnotic symphony that echoed from his lips to her ears in a pleasant resonance. "That's worth the world and more."

Naruto leaned his head back to face her, brilliant blue eyes looking into the depths of her own pale white.

Hinata gasped once again, imitated by that of her own sister, as they both gazed into his eyes.

'_Kami… They're so… Beautiful…'_

The two Hyuuga's lost themselves in his eyes, amazing fathomless pools of intense cerulean that revealed the raw emotion and very essence of his soul. They were mesmerizing, almost mystical and warm. The two saw in them the yearning for acceptance, for love, and for purpose. In his eyes, they felt the maelstrom of his spirit that breathed his life. It emitted an ethereal glow that was both soothing and entrancing to behold. If one looked closely enough, the twin pools would shift from a sublime blue to a tinted green.

Naruto watched the two girls stare at him like they were on the brink of nirvana, something that was beginning to make him uneasy. "Hinata-chan? Hanabi-chan?"

"_Hai_." Both replied in an eerie breathless synchronism that hinted at a blank or unfocused state of mind.

"Are you both… okay?"

"_Hai_." They responded again in their euphoric daze.

"Erm…" Naruto looked away sheepishly as they continued to stare. "Well… I'll meet you both at the usual place at noon?"

"_Hai_."

"Alright then..." Awkwardly, he took a few steps back from their half-lidded gaze. "I'll just go and fetch the others now… Bye…" He turned tail and leapt away, leaving the two dazed kunoichi-aspirants to their euphoria.

A few moments after the boy had left, the two Hyuuga's had finally snapped out of their daze, both confused, and yet, at the same time, enlightened.

Having exhausted all reserve of her will, Hinata's knees buckled from underneath her, forcing her to sit on the ground in a tired heap. '_I think I understand him a little better now…_' Hinata thought to herself. '_And maybe… This feeling… Like when he hugged me…_' The brief enlightenment quickly turned to embarrassment, as she remembered, in rather vivid detail, his tender embrace. For the nth time that day, her cheeks heated up uncontrollably and she couldn't help but bury her face in her hands. '_I have to admit… It felt really nice…_'

'_Maybe…_'

She turned to face her sister, who, to her surprise, was busy eyeing her rather sharply. "Hanabi-chan?"

Hanabi scowled, white eyes boring into the identical ones of her sister's in a hostile light. She took a deep breathe and announced in an almost childish huff. "I won't let you have Naruto-sama!"

"R-reh!?"

The younger Hyuuga raced off for the Hyuuga home to ready her equipment, leaving a stunned Hinata to gawk bewilderedly at her retreating form.

"A-ah! Hanabi-chan, wait!" She ran after the smaller girl.

Perhaps she would ponder deeper into these thoughts later.

* * *

The pink-haired kunoichi-to-be swayed her legs from side to side atop her modest bed, the smallest indications of boredom starting to show on her face. The standard ninja academy handbook resting in her palms did little to abate her of her growing agitation. Because, having not only read the passages on said book but also having pretty much memorized nearly all of them, it would not be surprising for her to be frustrated.

"'_A little review on your studies wouldn't hurt, sweetie.'_" She said to herself, imitating her mother's words in an exaggerated fashion. "I've read this damn thing over five times already. Cut me a break, _kaa-san_." With a cry of frustration, she tossed the handbook into the air, fed up with studying the infernal text. She'd wanted to leave and go train or something but her mother practically kept her on lockdown until her two-hour study session was over. Unfortunately for her, she still had an hour left and there was absolutely nothing to pass the time with.

"_Mou_… I wish someone would come and save me…" The girl mused as she lat on her bed, staring at the ceiling of her room.

Her thoughts drifted over to a point in her life that she had been saved. She still remembered how her favorite blond friend had 'saved' her and instilled a drive within her to become stronger. To this day, it warmed her heart. It was something she would never forget.

"Are you that bored, Sakura-chan?"

"Very…" Sakura's eyes widened as the voice registered in her brain. Her head swiveled quickly towards the source, which, apparently, was right next to her.

"_Ohayo_ Sakura-chan." Naruto's beaming face greeted her from a mere ruler apart.

* * *

A woman of middle-age with an interesting mane of long pink hair busied herself with dutifully carrying out her duties as a loving wife and mother.

"_Iiiiiiiiiyyyyaaaaaaaaaaaaa_!"

The shrill cry of her only daughter made her drop the laundry basket she was carrying. The woman swiveled her head at the direction of the noise, maternal instincts kicking in as she rushed up to the source of the commotion: her daughter's room. She made a grab for a nearby broom and barged into the room, brandishing the aforementioned cleaning utility as a weapon against whatever danger her beloved child had befallen.

"Sakura!?" The woman screeched in worry, her normally beautiful emerald eyes bloodshot in her mad panic.

"Gah! _O-okaa-san_!?" Sakura retracted at the sight of her mother bursting into her room, broom in hand, with the look in her eyes that would have made armies (Sakura's father included) cower in surrender.

After several heavy huffs and a thorough scan of the room, Sakura's mother proceeded to calm down, sheathing her impromptu weapon. She turned to her daughter, who was still a bit shaken and looked curiously nervous. "Sakura? I heard you scream. What's wrong?"

"W-well… That's because… I saw a bug!" Sakura said a little too quickly, followed by a nervous laugh. "I-it flew right in front of my face a-and I got surprised. That's all."

Mrs. Haruno narrowed her eyes at her daughter's unconvincing tone of voice, making the smaller girl sweat in her intense scrutiny, eyes darting left and right for a means of escape. Then, just as quickly, her face warped into a motherly smile. "Oh is that all?" The older Haruno chuckled amusedly. "My, my. For a kunoichi-to-be, you're still so surprised by such things." She ruffled her daughter's hair affectionately. "Sorry for barging in. I hope I haven't disturbed your studies."

"N-not at all." Sakura forced a crooked grin.

The mother tried budging the door slightly, noticing how the hinges had been damaged by her untimely intervention. "I'll get your father to fix that." With a quick wave and smile, she exited the room, closing the door behind her.

A few moments afterwards, Sakura heaved a relieved sigh, wiping the sweat that had collected on her somewhat-larger-than-average brow. "You're going to have to teach me how to do that someday, Naruto." Her head turned upwards to the hidden figure above.

"Your mother seems like a delightful person." Naruto chuckled bemusedly as he sat on the ceiling, his chakra applied to the surface so as to prevent him from falling.

"Could you come down from there? It's hard to talk to you when your face is upside-down."

"_Hai, hai_." The blond removed himself from the ceiling and soundlessly landed atop the bed in the same sitting position as before. He looked to Sakura with an apologetic smile. "Sorry for causing all this, though."

"It's fine, really. _Okaa-san_ can just really be scary sometimes." The pinkette shivered in fear of all recollected instances of her mother in her 'maternal rampages'. "How did you get in here, anyway?"

"Window." He pointed simply to the aforementioned opwn window.

Her narrow-eyed look spoke a silent 'You can't be serious', but his honest smile pretty much answered it all and she slowly shook her head at the incredulity that was Uzumaki Naruto. "But anyway, what's up?"

"Ah, that's right." Naruto grinned, having nearly forgotten his reason for coming. "I wanted to invite you over for some training with the rest of us. With the exams coming up, I thought now would be as good a time as any."

"Sounds good. I'm in." Inwardly, Sakura cheered ecstatically having found a means to relieve her of her growing boredom. Her 'study-lockdown' period would be over soon, anyway.

Sakura then noticed Naruto looking over at her table, or more specifically, the neatly folded handkerchief that lay on top of it. It was lined with soft brown edges, its body colored light beige. Its most noticeable features were the brown swirls that patterned its entire body.

"You kept it..." He said more as a statement than a question. He picked it up, studying its creased and worn state with a nostalgic melancholy.

At once, Sakura felt embarrassed. The handkerchief had become a symbolism of her change and drive brought upon by the very boy that stood before her; something that she had grown to cherish and hold as a secret. She was very conscious of the item, trusting no one, friend or family, with its care. To see it being held once more by the very person that it reminded her of was one thing, but having that person know that she had kept it after all these years would have been all too embarrassing.

"A-ah. W-well you see…" She turned to face him and breathe was taken away by the sight.

The blond stood before her, focused solely on the handkerchief in his hands. His eyes were finally open, revealing to her the dazzling blue orbs within. His face was mesmerizing in the light of the sun, eyes twinkling with a glitter that danced in the twin pools of cerulean, and his hair shining in its sun-kissed glory. But none had compared to the longing smile that graced his lips, a smile that spoke out his very emotion, and melted the girl's heart. All she could do was stare mesmerized into those extraordinary eyes, mouth hanging slightly agape in sheer wonder.

'_He looks so… handsome…'_ Deep within, a voice stirred, relaying her very thoughts. It was a voice quite similar to hers, but deeper and more uninhibited. '_**So much you want to just jump him...**_' As shameless as the thought was, she couldn't find it in herself to disagree.

After what felt like a blissful eternity, Naruto had come to his senses, looking up from his friend's prized memento to face her. "Ahaha, I'm sorry. I got lost in the memory for a moment there." His eyes twinkled as he laughed, pulling Sakura deeper into entrancement.

'_His eyes…_' Her own emerald green stared longingly into the boy's deep cerulean blue. '_**You could just stare at them forever…**_' Her inner persona added once more.

"I am grateful that you kept it, even though you didn't need to." He drew closer to her, his lips still locked in a smile.

Sakura paid no attention to his words as she was enamored with his closeness, watching how his smooth blond locks would sway with each of his steps and how it glistened softly in the sunlight. '_His hair looks smooth to the touch… __**It must smell nice too…**_'

"Sakura-chan?" She briefly shivered at the mention of her name. "Are you feeling alright?" Inquisitively, Naruto had tilted his head to the side, noting her sudden light-headed appearance.

'_His lips look so soft…_' Her attention turned to the blond's lips, drinking in its every detail. Her inner persona continued voicing her deepest desires. '_**Makes you wonder how sweet they'd taste…**_' In an involuntary motion, she licked her lips.

"Is there something on my face?" Although his unique enhanced senses wouldn't have failed to notice anything out of the usual on his own face, the way she seemed to be openly gaping at him made him think otherwise.

'_No. There is nothing on your gorgeous face…' _She inwardly replied. '_**Though I'd gladly lick it clean to be sure…**_'

"Sakura-chan?"

_**BAM! CRASH!**_

The violent crash snapped Sakura from her trance as her head snapped towards the disturbance where the faint outline of an older pink-haired woman could be seen within the smoke that had kicked up from the destruction.

"A_HA_!" The intimidating form of Mrs. Haruno burst into the room, knocking the door off its hinges. Smoke filtered out her flared nostrils like an angry bull ready to charge, the broom from before once again held steadily in her hands. Her bloodshot eyes scanned the room thoroughly before turning to the awakened form of her daughter. "Where is he!?" She demanded with such authority it had nearly made Sakura soil herself.

"W-who?" Sakura fearfully whimpered.

"The boy you were talking to!! You know how I feel about boys at your age coming into our home, young lady!!" She screeched, wringing the wooden handle of her broom tightly, almost splintering the poor cleaning utility. "Where is he!?" Her eyes flashed towards the open window, its curtains fluttering gently against the wind. She approached the window and peeked her head outside, spotting nobody on the street below.

The woman blinked curiously, pulling herself back into the room to address her daughter once more. "There was a boy here… Wasn't there?" She queried.

"A-ah… N-no?" Came her daughter's subdued form of an answer.

A brief silence followed.

Then, laughter.

"Ahaha. Is that right? Silly me, I must have misheard," The older Haruno laughed pleasantly to herself, all traces of menace in the forms of bulging veins and red eyes replaced with an embarrassed smile.

She took notice of the door she had just totaled and gasped. "Oh my! I'm so sorry, dear!" Mrs. Haruno attempted to forcefully shove the door back into place. The doorknob simply fell off, accompanied by the door itself which crumbled into a heap. "Err… I'll get your father to fix that later."

In an attempt to lighten up the situation, the woman clapped her hands and smiled. "Well, as an apology for causing so much grief, I'll give you the week to do what you want. Just be sure to get back to your studies soon, 'kay dear?"

At a loss for words, Sakura resolved to nod dumbly.

"Okay then. Now shoo, I have a lot of cleaning to do." Sakura's mother waved her away, a request that Sakura was all too happy to oblige, scampering through the broken doorway like a frightened mouse.

She exited her home, heaving a sigh of relief.

'_Damn, Okaa-san…_' A grim thought passed her followed by another: '_**She ruined the moment…**_'

The pinkette's head snapped upwards in surprise. Had she really thought that? In fact… Had she thought all those things while she was with Naruto?

Her face turned a beet red as she recalled her trance-like euphoria as she gazed upon the eyes of the boy she deeply respected and admired. Her blush grew in intensity with each recollection of every dirty thought that had escaped her. What was worse was that she couldn't actually deny them.

'_He is… rather attractive… What am I saying!?_'

Rapidly, Sakura shook her head, banishing the very idea.

'_It's probably just hormones…_' She concluded. Though, in the back of her mind, she knew and hoped that it was something more.

* * *

The melody of sweet sensual humming could be heard within the room of one Yamanaka Ino, or, to be more precise, from her bathroom. The telltale signs of a shower could be heard in the background as water pattered noisily on tiled floor and steam filtered through the door to said bathroom. From within a pre-teen girl of barely thirteen years old emerged with one towel wrapped around her maturing frame and another being used to dry her platinum blonde hair. Had it not been for said towel, she would have noticed the boy that was sitting on her bed.

"Ino-chan," He said, making the girl stop abruptly in surprise. "You have a lovely voice…"

Slowly, Ino turned her head towards the familiar voice, her teal eyes locked onto blond hair that was more yellow than hers and a smile that seemed to never falter. "Naruto…? What are you doing in-?"

The gears in her head started to click to life, putting the scene into perspective:

There was a boy in her room. She happened to be inside that room. And she was _naked_.

It took about two seconds.

And she would have very well screamed at the top of her lungs had it not been for the hand that covered her mouth. All that was heard was a muffled "_Mmmmmmpphh!!"_

"Haha. Sorry Ino-chan, but I think it would be better for me not to have a repeat of what happened with Sakura-chan," Naruto grinned apologetically, keeping the female blonde at bay with one hand clamped over the lower half of her face.

The girl struggled against him, using all her strength to pry him from herself and trying to flail her body so as to throw the boy off-balance. If not for the fingered appendage that impaired her speech, those of nearby proximity would have heard her loud exclamations of death-threats and various profanities. Instead, any sound that escaped her lips was a suppressed muffle.

Moments pass and Ino hasn't relinquished her relentless assault. Seeing as the situation wouldn't be progressing any better and the fact that the blonde girl's towel was slowly easing off her body due to her movements, Naruto sought to pacify his enraged friend. How?

With a little nostalgia.

"_Mmmph!?"_ Ino's eyes opened wide in surprise as she felt a warm hand take hold of her shoulder. Before she had any time to protest, Naruto's hand began to caress her deltoids with firm loving tenderness, molding it like putty with practiced ease. It was then that she noticed the faint coursing of chakra being channeled into her own body, further enhancing the kneading sensations he made. It took a great amount of effort not to moan in ecstasy.

As he saw that Ino's outcries died down, he confirmed it safe to remove his hand from her face and rest it on her other shoulder which he also began caressing with the delicacy and expertise of a certified masseur.

"_Mmnnn_…" Despite her best efforts, the young Yamanaka couldn't help but let small whimpers of pleasure filter through her lips. These sensations were ones she had sorely missed since her childhood and it was only Naruto who could make her feel this way. All other masseurs/masseuses failed in comparison to his magical hands.

"Ino-chan…" His voice sounded soft and sweet like honey to her ears. "It's okay. I can tell you're a little conscious and embarrassed, but I assure you…" With emphasis to those words, his hands trailed down to her exposed upper-back, pushing just a little chakra to tickle the surface of her skin. "That you can trust me as I would trust you."

Ino turned to look the boy, a beautiful smile gracing his handsome features as he gazed back through his lidded eyes. She was taken aback at his smile. It radiated with such innocence and assurance that it made her feel like she could trust him with her life.

Her consciousness of her own naked body fell away with a content smile of her own, giving in to the pleasurable ministrations of her friend's loving caress.

* * *

"Hey… Ino-chan?"

"Nnn…?"

"I need to get going,"

"Mnnn…!"

"I still have to call on Sasuke to join us,"

"Mmm…"

"Haha. Don't be like that Ino-chan. I'll do this for you again,"

"Mn?"

"Yes, I promise,"

"…"

"You will be joining us, right?"

"… Mmm."

"Wonderful!"

With that said, Naruto sat up after finishing his massage on the blonde girl, much to Ino's groaning displeasure. To her, time couldn't possibly have elapsed to thirty minutes so soon. Then again, the feeling of Naruto's expert hands melding with the skin and muscles of her back pretty much overpowered her sense of time (and any of her other senses in general). In fact, it still didn't matter to her that she was still in a state of undress.

Shakily, Ino herself tried to get up from her bed, albeit with great difficulty as the blond boy's massage had left her in a euphoria that felt like she had taken a pleasant 100 year nap. A good portion of her mind had protested in making any effort as her body had been blessed with such comfort and bliss.

'_Definitely better than before…_' She thought to herself. The Naruto before her had definitely gotten more experienced with his use of chakra, evident in how wonderful it was compared to before. She was sure that Naruto would never try anything with her and her trust paid off immensely. He didn't eye her like a piece of meat like some of her more perverted classmates did. In fact, it didn't seem to bother him or even register in his mind that what lay on a bed was a beautiful, vulnerable, and, most of all, naked kunoichi. The fact that he was touching her didn't faze him for a moment and his hands didn't roam into areas she believed were off-limits.

It was an odd and yet welcoming sensation to have someone this close without worrying if they would hurt or take advantage of her. It was like being with her closest friends and yet, so much more.

"Hey, Naruto…"

She supposed she could get used to this feeling of closeness; this bond that could evolve into something stronger.

"Yes, Ino-chan?"

After all, it was with the boy that had, knowingly or not, become her pillar and source of strength.

She elevated herself on her elbows, her body still sprawled on top of her bed, the sheets only partly covering her, and her platinum blonde hair untied and spilled onto her bed and her on her shoulders. The sunlight that illuminated through the curtains outlined the curves of her developing body and the smoothness of her creamy white skin.

The sight would have been enough to get most boys hot under the collar. But again, Naruto has proven himself unlike most men as he gazed unflinchingly at the form of his friend.

"Thanks."

'_For everything…_'

Naruto sensed the gravity of her gratitude; the hidden words that she was meaning to say. Her bright cheery smile said it all.

The young Uzumaki couldn't help but smile back, with his eyes revealed to Ino in genuine compassion.

"You're welcome…"

As Ino stared into his eyes, twin pools of the most brilliant blue, deeper and vaster than any ocean, all she could hear was the loud beating of her own heart.

It was then that she realized, Naruto had been the only boy, the only _person_ that had touched her this way; that made her feel this way. This feeling of utter _completion_. She could trust no one else to do the same. Perhaps that was why she had been so distant from any other boy, for it was only he that she allowed to get this close. Only that one boy. Only Naruto.

In his eyes she saw this. She confirmed it.

"Bye…"

She didn't notice that the boy had already left her room until the sound of the window fluttering open had snapped her from her thoughts. In fascination and wonder, she watched the boy flit through the roofs of Konoha in an expertise that would have taken months of practice.

Ino was left alone to her thoughts, slightly dazed and confused as to what had just happened. It was as if the moment the boy's eyes were open, the entire universe clicked into place. Now that her brief entrancement had subsided and her friend had departed from her bedroom, she started to feel rather cold, something expected to happen due to her unclothed state and the breeze that passed through her window.

The young Yamanaka shivered at her exposure to the cold winds, wrapping her blanket closer to her body.

Now was not the time to delve deeper into these thoughts. Right now, she needed to get dressed and ready for the meeting.

It would have been a simple feat. Of course, it had been made more difficult as her entire body felt like jelly and it took a great amount of will to just lift a wrist. She cursed at how comfortable her bed suddenly felt.

This would most probably take a while.

"Augh! My legs refuse to move!"

A very long while.

* * *

He was here again. As he always was. As he always wished to be.

Maybe it was a weakness, as many attachments were, or at least that's what he had taught himself to think. Even so, in all his bitterness, he could not find the heart to abandon one of the few things that still gave him a reason to live.

The memory of his family.

The raven-haired boy sat there before the many gravestones that lined the vast Uchiha estate room that housed its many passed ancestors and family members. His arms rested on his knees while he craned his head in his arms. Onyx eyes cast over the many memorial stones before him, glued to two in particular. The engraved words did both to provide a sense of purpose and also an unfathomable sorrow. It was words that would forever weigh a burden into the lone boy's heart.

'Uchiha Fugaku'

'_Otou-san…_'

'Uchiha Mikoto'

'_Okaa-san…_'

The youth hugged his legs closer to himself, his eyes, though not betraying a shred of emotion, remained downcast on the floor. And he remained this way, sitting on the floor and in the darkness of the unlit room he had once called home. But it was not his home anymore. Homes were supposed to be places of security; of peace and of comfort. He felt no such thing in those lonely halls. It might have housed him, but he could hardly call such a cold, dark place his home.

It was then that light had violently assaulted his eyes, leaving him temporarily blind and disoriented as stumbled over himself. He stood up in alert, feverishly rubbing at his eyes so as to recover from the brief flash and finally surveying the room to ascertain any threat or intruder.

"Sorry. Did I scare you?" A familiarly pleasant voice alerted the raven-haired youth to the direction behind him. He caught sight of a blond youth that was roughly his age, marks resembling whiskers trailing the sides of his cheeks, and his hand hanging off a light switch which had been the most probable cause of the light bulb having suddenly gone on.

Still a little bewildered and having some difficulty adjusting to the drastic change of illumination, he could only respond somewhat hesitantly. "Wh-wha? Naruto?"

"Haha. I just thought it was a little too dark in here so I helped myself to the lights here. Hope you don't mind, Sasuke." Naruto chuckled amusedly to himself, an act that Sasuke frowned upon slightly as he didn't find anything particularly amusing.

"Why are you here?" The Uchiha asked briskly, rather irked at having been disturbed so abruptly.

"I was going to ask you if you wanted to join the rest of us for some training this afternoon. The usual place," Naruto grinned, trying to abate some of the Uchiha's initial agitation. Fortunately enough, it had worked to some degree and Sasuke had calmed down a little, though his scowl was still present.

Again, Sasuke could feel the strange, relaxing aura that his blond friend always exhumed with his presence, a perplexity he has never been able to understand. There was just something about the blond enigma that was incomprehensible, inhuman in a sense. The fact that he smiled almost all the time and how he never saw the need to open his eyes to actually see anything surrounding just added to how strange a character this Uzumaki Naruto was.

"Sasuke? Are you listening?"

The raven-haired boy grumbled something under his breath, a little uncertain of what to do. He did want to train, but then again, he wanted to spend a bit more time to himself. That's all he's ever wanted these days. Just to be left alone.

"Y'know, Sasuke…" Naruto said, pausing a while to get his companion's attention. "It really isn't healthy just sitting around in the dark like this. You need to get out into the sun more and enjoy life while you still can. You need to stop moping and have a little fun,"

Sasuke turned his head away, shadowing his eyes underneath his black bangs. "'Fun'? As aspiring ninja, we don't have the luxury of time for fun. It only distracts us from our goals as ninja. It won't make us any stronger," He replied in a monotonous tone.

The boy's head snapped up in surprise as his blond companion started to laugh. "What's so funny?"

"I'm sorry. It's just that, even though what you say is true for a ninja, it still sounded like you needed to get out more,"

The small jibe at Sasuke's apparently poor social life made his eyebrow twitch. "What do you mean by that?"

Naruto made a grin, catching Sasuke off-guard for a moment. "Well, aspiring ninja or not, we're still human. We can't live on our ambitions and goals at every single moment of our lives, can we?"

"And what if it's our only reason for living!?" The Uchiha spat back, showing an aggression that had not resurfaced since the day they first fought. "What if your very reason for being alive is to accomplish your ambition!? What then!?"

"Then, like I said, you need to get out more," Naruto replied in a sagely, almost playful tone. "You can't honestly believe that all there is to life is to simply live to realize your goals. There is far more to it than just that."

Apprehensive, Sasuke looked at his friend in the eye and asked. "What more is there?"

A moment of silence followed as Naruto thought on this question. With a satisfied smile, the young demon-vessel calmly strode over to the Uchiha, feeling the presence of doubt and uncertainty within his fellow genin-to-be, but nonetheless continued. He stopped in front of the boy, placing a supporting hand on his shoulder. "Well…"

"Why don't you come to the light and find out, Sasuke-chan?"

'S-Sasuke-_chan_!?'

Outraged at the nickname, Sasuke's eyes narrowed dangerously, the edges of his scowling lips twitched in indignation.

"C'mon, Sasuke-chan!" The blond beckoned to him as he ran out the door, laughing to himself all the way.

"Oi! Naruto-ani!" Sasuke was about to give chase, but paused briefly to look around.

The room did look a great deal nicer with the lights on. He had never bothered to look for the light switch during the times he had visited, mostly because of how emotionally vulnerable he was in that place. Now that he thought about it, the place looked less like a place of eternal sorrow. He could clearly see the engravings on each of the stones and the memorial pictures mounted on each of them. With the new illumination, the picture of his mother's and father's smiling faces was clearly visible. Somehow, in a strangely satisfying sort of way, he felt stupid to have never tried to find that light switch.

In the rarest of times, Sasuke allowed himself a ghost of a smile. He still didn't understand what it was that his new surrogate brother was trying to tell him, and maybe Naruto didn't expect him to, at least not so soon. Hopefully, someday he would.

Through right now, he had a blond to catch. It would be his new resolution to ensure that _nobody ever _called him 'Sasuke-chan' again.

* * *

The pale-eyed duo waited patiently on the grassy terrace that was the training area. Well, in actuality, the older of the two was the one waiting patiently whilst the smaller one swayed her legs back and forth as she sat atop a tree stump. Garbed in their individual sparring outfits, Hinata wore her usual jacket over the traditional Hyuuga kunoichi uniform and while Hanabi wore the same, minus the jacket.

Across from them was a girl of the same age as the eldest of them who had a unique mop of pink hair and was wearing her red training garb. Sakura stood leaning on a tree, also waiting for the rest of their group to meet.

"Hey, Sakura," Hinata said as she spotted a figure through the foliage. "Isn't that Ino?"

Sakura turned to the direction Hinata had pointed at, indeed, seeing a limping and almost tired looking Yamanaka Ino who had her purple training ensemble for the occasion. The platinum blonde was dragging herself in an odd fashion, as if her limbs did not want to move with her. She also looked rather sleepy, or more precisely, unresponsive.

Concerned, Sakura ran over to her friend, supporting her like she was dead weight. "What happened to you, Ino?"

Ino turned a lazy eye towards the pinkette and mumbled a dead-panned: "The best massage of my entire life,"

Though the pink-haired Haruno didn't hear Ino's answer very well, she nonetheless helped to a tree she could lean on.

It was then that a raven-haired boy entered the scene, looking a little sweaty and winded from having run all the way there. In the standard Uchiha shirt and his white shorts, Sasuke stood surveying the group, wiping some of the sweat that had accumulated on his brow. He looked at each of them, raising a curious brow at the state Ino was in and at the young Hyuuga that he had never met before. "Where's Naruto-ani? He should have gotten here before I did,"

"Wasn't he with you?" Hinata asked.

Sasuke shrugged. "I thought he had gone ahead of me, so I dunno where he went."

"I'm over here guys!" The sweet melodic voice of their blond de-facto leader called to them.

Walking towards them in a sedate and regal pace was Uzumaki Naruto in his traditional hakama and gi, his hand raised up in a waving gesture and his lips upturned into his usual dazzling smile. Although, he wasn't alone.

By his side was a girl, a kunoichi, to be more precise, evident in the Konoha headband wrapped over her forehead. Her brown hair, the same color as that of her eyes, was tied into two identical buns on the sides of her head. She wore a sleeveless pink top of some foreign descent, with dark-green kunoichi pants, a weapons pouch fastened to her right leg, and the standard blue ninja sandals.

She didn't seem like the kind of kunoichi to stand out too much, but the fact that she was in rather close proximity with Naruto seemed to irk the other females and one quirked eyebrow from the other male in the group.

As the two drew closer, the newcomer glanced over the other assembled girls and involuntarily twitched her right eye.

Naruto had felt the unrest amongst his friends and so decided to lighten the mood with an introduction. He stepped aside to fully display his companion to them. "I'd like you all to meet TenTen. She's an old friend of mine from way back. I happened to bump into her on my way here and look-" He put an arm around the bun-haired girl and tapped at the metal protector on her head. "She's already a genin. Impressive isn't it?" The contact, though unwarranted, along with the small praise made the new girl flush just a little as the scowls of the other girls' present deepened.

"Anyway, TenTen, along with Hanabi-chan, which you've already met as that cute little girl over there (Hanabi looked down in embarrassment), will be joining us in our training from now on. I'm sure her experience with the final examinations as well as her experience as a genin will be beneficial to us. Her skills in kenjutsu are also top-notch for someone her age so I'm sure she can teach us a few things, ne Ten-chan?"

Again, the many compliments along with her little nickname served to embarrass TenTen even further. There was a mild blush across her face, but she otherwise did not falter in greeting back. "It's a pleasure to meet you all," She bowed briefly, aware of the suspicious eyes that were hawking at her.

Ino, Sakura, Hinata, and even Hanabi eyed the new girl with a level of uncertainty, as TenTen did the same to them. Then they focused their eyes towards Naruto, who was currently conversing with Sasuke about something or other, and then to each other, shifting glances back and forth from each female member. There was the tiniest hint of hostility there, not just towards TenTen, but amongst them as well. They didn't know what the growing tension was or why it was happening amongst themselves, but one thing was for certain:

They were not backing down without a fight.

"Hey, Naruto-ani…" Sasuke looked over the silent stare-down of the girls. "What are they doing?"

"Hmmm…" Though Naruto could sense hostility and competition blooming, he did not see the reason why. "I honestly don't know, but whatever it is, I'm sure they can resolve it amongst themselves," Naruto grinned mischievously. "Now let's train, Sasuke-chan!"

"I-I told you not to call me that!" Sasuke yelled indignantly. But his anger disappeared as he felt the prickling glares of the females from behind him. Somehow, in a distorted sort of way, they saw him as a threat as well.

'_A threat to what!?_'

"Sasuke-chan, hurry up!"

"D-damn it! Stop calling me that!" The raven-haired boy stomped off for the blond, leaving the girls to confirm a solid fact:

_Everyone_ was a threat. Possibly even Sasuke.

"C'mon guys! We're burning daylight!" Naruto beckoned the rest of his company.

"**Coming!"** Was their simultaneous reply.

* * *

A/N

Ye Gods, I deeply and most sincerely apologize for the horrible delay on the update. Some crazy stuff going on around here back at home so I wasn't able to update for a while. As compensation, I made this chapter uber longer than I usually do. It's nearly _**FIVE TIMES**_ the size of my regular chapters.

Again, I shall say, _**there shall be absolutely no yaoi**_. I might just imply the subtlest kind only for the sake of comedy.

I'll be advancing the story soon, so please be a little more patient with me. Thanks!

Chronos out.


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